Petition pleads for A11 dualling

CAMPAIGNERS calling for a Suffolk road to be dualled will launch a petition today calling for the work to be done as soon as possible.

The A11 between Thetford and Barton Mills is the last remaining stretch of the road which is single carriageway.

Although the idea of dualling it has been agreed in principal, no money has yet been set aside for the work and the Department of Transport has pencilled in 2012/2013 for a possible start date.

But today, a consortium made up of councils, business groups, MPs and other organisations will launch a petition calling for work to get underway before the end of 2010.

West Suffolk MP Richard Spring said: “I am delighted to be joining forces with colleagues and agencies in Norfolk to ask people to call for the acceleration of the A11 dualling scheme.

“We are all anxious to do what we can to persuade the Government to see sense and bring forward the scheme.

“It seems nonsensical to everyone involved in this campaign to delay the start any further particularly as one of the most difficult phases of agreeing the scheme is now complete.”

A group has also been set up on the internet site Facebook which already has 600 members.

Jeremy Pembroke, Suffolk County Council leader, added: "This scheme is very important for both Norfolk and Suffolk. The current road is wholly inadequate, creating intolerable problems for those who use it or live near it.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport said: “We are grateful for the region's consideration of this scheme which confirms that this it a very high priority for the region and that they wish to see the scheme start as soon as possible.

“Subject to completion of statutory procedures, the scheme is currently programmed to start construction in 2012/13 but we are continuing, as before, to progress development work so that it will be possible to start construction in 2010/11 should funding become available.”

Click here to sign the petition