DEMORALISED residents living in a traffic-choked town have been told they might have to wait at least 15 years for a bypass to ease congestion.

Dave Gooderham

DEMORALISED residents living in a traffic-choked town have been told they might have to wait at least 15 years for a bypass to ease congestion.

Community leaders in Sudbury have been calling for some form of relief road to remove heavy goods vehicles away from the historic town centre for four decades.

But at a packed public meeting last night, they were warned that their renewed efforts to bring the issue up the agenda would probably end in disappointment.

The meeting, which attracted more than 100 people and was chaired by Lord Andrew Phillips, was organised by the Sudbury Society which said traffic concerns was among its priorities.

Society chairman Nick Hallidie said: “We are pleased with the turnout but saddened by the fact that a relief road in Sudbury is so far down the list of priorities.

“If anything major does happen in the town, it will not be for a long time. We are told it would take between seven and 10 years to build and it is unlikely to be decided until 2013. It was pretty demoralising.”

Mr Hallidie, who described traffic problems in the town as “chaotic”, has now called on Suffolk Country Council to carry out surveys and look at more short-term measures.

But he warned: “I think about 80% of the town think a relief road is the only long-term solution. The council can fiddle around in the town with small measures but I don't think it will solve the main problem.”

The meeting also heard from Guy McGregor, portfolio holder for roads and transport for Suffolk County Council, as well as Barry Wall, chairman of Sudbury History Society, who claimed parts of the town's street system was dated to the 10th century.

Residents and councillors who attended the meeting also raised the issue of weight restrictions of vehicles in the town and problems caused by satellite navigation systems.