HOPES of a quick solution to the traffic noise plaguing residents of the twin Trimley villages have today been dashed.

Campaigners, who are waiting for sound barriers to be put in place alongside the A14, had been hoping the stretch of road would be resurfaced with sound-absorbent materials, removing the need for the barriers.

But now they have been told the work – due to start next week – will only involve patching of areas needing repairs.

Trimley St Mary Parish Council chairman Colin Jacobs said it was disappointing but the council would not give up the fight to find a way to cut the noise from the busy dual carriageway.

“We had hoped they would be resurfacing that whole stretch alongside the villages when they told us about the work but sadly it now seems they are only patching it,” he said.

“It is the road noise – not the engines of the vehicles – which is the problem for people. It is very loud at times.

“Since the Highways Agency carried out some patching repairs there has been a noticeable difference. You can hear the vehicles go over the old surface and make a real racket, and then they go over a patch of the new surface and it’s quiet and then back onto the old surface and are noisy again.

“What we need on our roads is the silent surfacing they use in France – it should be standard.”

Because its expansion will increase lorry traffic, the Port of Felixstowe agreed to spend �500,000 on sound barriers.

However, the cost has now risen to more than �2million and the practical problems surrounding the scheme are said to be “very substantial indeed”.

Mr Jacobs said a meeting is due to be held next month and one item to be examined will be whether the port money could be put towards extra surfacing instead.