By Ted JeoryRESIDENTS have stepped up their campaign to upgrade one of the county's busiest roads to a dual carriageway by holding a 24-hour traffic survey.

By Ted Jeory

RESIDENTS have stepped up their campaign to upgrade one of the county's busiest roads to a dual carriageway by holding a 24-hour traffic survey.

Keith Tully, vice-chairman of Ramsey and Parkeston Parish Council, began the day-long traffic census on the A120 at 9am yesterday in an effort to prove the Government needed to reconsider its policy on the road.

In just the first six hours Mr Nicholson and fellow parish councillors counted more than 900 large trucks and other lorries passing the Ramsey roundabout.

They were spurred into action after Transport Secretary Alistair Darling delayed any decision on upgrading the road to dual carriageway status until 2016 at the earliest.

Mr Tully said the survey had been going well and added: “In 2001, the Highways Agency told us that the average daily traffic movement was 11,681 vehicles.

“We just want to see how accurate that figure is. They did their study at the Parkeston roundabout, but we think where we're monitoring is more appropriate - it's busier and it has more accidents.

“The road is uneven in places and the agency has said it will now carry out some improvements, but it's the dualling we're after - there needs to be more debate.”

The East Anglian Daily Times has also launched an Action for the A120, backed by thousands of readers, which has called for safety improvements on a stretch of the road between Harwich and Little Bromley.

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said its route improvement strategy was coming up for renewal around autumn time.

“We will be looking at accident statistics and will be happy to look at any research carried out by other people,” she added.

ted.jeory@eadt.co.uk