Transport officials at Suffolk County Council have rejected calls for traffic lights to be installed at a hazardous bridge in Needham Market.

The Coddenham Road bridge on the B1078 coming into the town from the A14 has often been named the "most bashed bridge in Britain" by its owner Network Rail because its low height has left it vulnerable.

But former East of England Co-op chief executive Roger Grosvenor fears the narrow road under the bridge is an accident waiting to happen and has written to the county council calling for traffic lights to be installed.

He uses the road regularly, and has lost count of the near misses he has witnessed at the bridge.

The bridge is only wide enough for a single vehicle to pass at a time although the road, the main route from Ipswich to Needham Market, is a normal width with white lines in the middle on either side.

Mr Grosvenor said that recently there had been an incident when a Transit van had approached the bridge from the Ipswich site and had to brake sharply when the driver realised he could not get through.

A car from the Needham Market direction went under the bridge before realising its exit was blocked and was then both vehicles were hemmed in by vehicles behind them.

Mr Grosvenor, who was responsible for logistics at the Co-op, wrote to the council pointing out the risks of the bridge.

He said: "I am sure the uses of the underpass many of which are locals would welcome the introduction of traffic light controls and increased awareness signage regarding the low bridge."

But a spokesman for the county said: “There are no recorded serious injury collisions at this location so there is no justification on road safety grounds.

“Traffic modelling has also shown that there would be limited benefit in installing signals on traffic flow.”