By Louise ComptonAN MP has praised the East Anglian Daily Times and thanked its readers for the “tremendous support and commitment” in fighting for safety improvements on a major road.

By Louise Compton

AN MP has praised the East Anglian Daily Times and thanked its readers for the “tremendous support and commitment” in fighting for safety improvements on a major road.

More than 2,000 people have signed the EADT's Action for the A120 petition, which was presented yesterday to Ivan Henderson, the Labour MP for Harwich.

The petitions will now be handed over to Transport Secretary Alastair Darling in the House of Commons.

The campaign, which calls for improvements to the A120 between Colchester and Harwich, has provoked an overwhelming response since its launch last year.

Mr Henderson said thanks to such a demonstration of public support and the publication of the Lois (London to Ipswich) report - which calls for the dualling of the road as a priority - the project has never been so high on the political agenda.

“There has been a great response and although there is a long way to go yet, I am optimistic at this critical stage of the project,” he added.

“The public have really kept up the pressure to put the A120 on the agenda and without this support we would have been faced with a very difficult task.”

The campaign, launched by the EADT in September, has been backed by councillors, MPs, residents and businesses who have all demanded safety improvements on the road.

The EADT and supporters of the Action for the A120 campaign believe that making the road safer and easier to travel could bring millions of pounds into the economy of north-east Essex.

The improvements would also make Harwich more accessible and make it more attractive for potential businesses.

Crucially, it would also save lives on the A120, which has too often been the scene for fatal accidents.

In the three months leading up to the launch of the campaign three people died on the road.

“There are serious implications for safety after the horrific accidents that the road has seen,” said Mr Henderson.

“The public know that something definitely needs to be done to the A120 because of its potential for devastating effects.”

The petition will be taken to Government next month, when Mr Henderson will use the EADT campaign as a basis on which to address Mr Darling about the urgent need for improvements on the A120.