Debate over solution to 'death trap' road
Thursday, 30th June 2011.
A vital part of Haverhill's road system, described as a 'death trap', is due to be made one-way, but town councillors think the scheme is unsatisfactory.
Suffolk County Council is consulting about proposals to make Crowland Road one-way from the bottom of Castle Lane to Withersfield Road.
Formulating their response Haverhill Town Councillors this week decided they wanted the scheme changed.
Cllr Lisa Carr described the road currently as 'a death trap' and said something had to be done, but this was not the right action.
"The amount of road rage caused there is terrible," she said. "It's a stalemate for traffic and just horrendous. People completely ignore the 'no right turn' at the bottom."
But she agreed with other councillors that there was a danger of relocating the traffic to other dangerous points in the town, particularly Swan Lane and Camps Road, and Eastern Avenue.
But councillors' main concern was about the length of the one-way section.
Cllr Pat Hanlon said people living on the Downs estate would have a very long roundabout journey to get there from the north and west of the town.
Cllr Ernie Goody said the road had originally been planned as part of an inner ring road in the town, which was why the top was widened and the bottom was not.
"Traffic will end up going up Camps Road and you will turn one nightmare into another," he said.
Newly co-opted councillor Ricky Green, replacing David Fowle who had had to resign for personal reasons, suggested the one-way section should be in the other direction, and just from Withersfield Road to Downs Crescent.
Councillors agreed and put the idea forward to the county council as an alternative for consideration.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett reported the consultation process was nearly over and there had been no protests from local residents to the town council so far.
Suffolk County Council is consulting about proposals to make Crowland Road one-way from the bottom of Castle Lane to Withersfield Road.
Formulating their response Haverhill Town Councillors this week decided they wanted the scheme changed.
Cllr Lisa Carr described the road currently as 'a death trap' and said something had to be done, but this was not the right action.
"The amount of road rage caused there is terrible," she said. "It's a stalemate for traffic and just horrendous. People completely ignore the 'no right turn' at the bottom."
But she agreed with other councillors that there was a danger of relocating the traffic to other dangerous points in the town, particularly Swan Lane and Camps Road, and Eastern Avenue.
But councillors' main concern was about the length of the one-way section.
Cllr Pat Hanlon said people living on the Downs estate would have a very long roundabout journey to get there from the north and west of the town.
Cllr Ernie Goody said the road had originally been planned as part of an inner ring road in the town, which was why the top was widened and the bottom was not.
"Traffic will end up going up Camps Road and you will turn one nightmare into another," he said.
Newly co-opted councillor Ricky Green, replacing David Fowle who had had to resign for personal reasons, suggested the one-way section should be in the other direction, and just from Withersfield Road to Downs Crescent.
Councillors agreed and put the idea forward to the county council as an alternative for consideration.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett reported the consultation process was nearly over and there had been no protests from local residents to the town council so far.
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