By John HowardMORE than 60 people took to the streets last night to protest at traffic problems in their village.Residents in Sproughton, near Ipswich, were protesting against the high levels of traffic in their village and the pollution it caused.

By John Howard

MORE than 60 people took to the streets last night to protest at traffic problems in their village.

Residents in Sproughton, near Ipswich, were protesting against the high levels of traffic in their village and the pollution it caused.

They were particularly concerned about the number of heavy lorries that use the B1113 along Sproughton High Street as a short-cut.

The road is, in one place, only 85cm from the front door of one family and angry residents felt their quality of life should not be ruined by traffic that they said should be using the A14, which runs parallel to the B1113.

Simon Curl, chairman of Sproughton Parish Council, said: “The community of Sproughton is concerned about the volume of traffic now passing through the village.

“High Street, Lower Street and Burstall Lane suffer from unusually high levels of traffic, with High Street taking some 8,400 vehicles per day and the Wild Man junction 10,000 vehicles.”

He added: “Residents will not accept continued reductions in air quality, increase in noise and disturbance, increase in risk to pedestrians on footways and crossing village streets that this high level of traffic brings.

“The proposed SnOasis development and associated developments at Great Blakenham will add further traffic onto our streets. This is not acceptable.

“We are asking the authorities to take action to address our current concerns, and to ensure that any proposed development at Great Blakenham does not further reduce the standard of living environment in the village.”

Simon Lavington, chairman of Sproughton Transport Panel, who organised last night's rush-hour protest, added: “The A14, which runs parallel to the B1113, should really be taking most of the traffic away from the Sproughton section of the B1113.

“Regrettably, this does not happen. Congestion at the A12/A14 Copdock Interchange tempts drivers off the trunk roads, thus causing much of Sproughton's traffic nightmare.”

Suffolk county councillor Kathy Pollard, a member of its executive committee, said: “I fully support the residents of Sproughton in their concerns about traffic.

“As one of the people who fought for the 7.5-tonne HGV limit on the B1113, I would like to see this limit enforced.”

A spokesman for Suffolk police said officers were called to the scene at 5pm yesterday and added: “Protesters were not on the road and it is not illegal to protest.”

john.howard@eadt.co.uk