A VITAL link Road that will cut accidents and reunite residents split by a major highway has finally been given the go-ahead today.Residents of Capel St Mary will claim victory after their ten-year campaign to improve safety on the junction of the A12 and Pound Lane.

A VITAL link Road that will cut accidents and reunite residents split by a major highway has finally been given the go-ahead today.

Residents of Capel St Mary will claim victory after their ten-year campaign to improve safety on the junction of the A12 and Pound Lane.

The £800,000 road will be built between Old London Road and the C426 Bentley Road making it easier for motorists to join and leave the A12 east of Capel St Mary.

The link road will run from Bluegate Lane to Bentley Road across land owned by Suffolk County Council, who will take over responsibility after the road is completed.

Building is expected to start in the autumn and will take about five months to complete.

At the same time the gap in the central reservation at the Pound Lane junction with the A12 will be sealed to stop traffic crossing the busy trunk road to join the opposite side of the carriageway.

Julian O'Dell, Highways Agency project manager said: "It's good news for everyone that this scheme on this stretch of the A12 between Colchester and Ipswich is finally going ahead.

"The Highways Agency is committed to making its roads safer and the new link road will provide a safe connection to the rest of Capel St Mary."

Traffic from western Capel St Mary will continue to join the A12 through the village at the Capel St Mary Interchange, but drivers from the eastern side will use the new link road.

The residents of the village's Old London Road welcome today's news that a vital link road has been approved.

For the last ten years the Old London Road Residents' Association has been fighting for the link road.

Ian Pulford, chairman of the association said: "This has been a long hard and frustrating campaign.

"We have been successful because we had an excellent argument which we have pressed persistently, with skill and good humour.

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