Ipswich by-pass battles on
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LTITNESSES at a marathon lepartment of Environment iquiry in Suffolk are taking a. tell-earned rest after three feeks of hearing evidence ito a proposed E,39 million swich by-pass.
The new road is part of a :theme which will relieve the )wn of export traffic heading pr Europe via Ipswich and elixstowe docks.
Department of Transport raffle engineer Martin iheeler, told the inquiry that by-pass could cut traffic flow. n Ipswich's notorious black pot — Valley Road — by as luch as 55 per cent.
The case for a southern :lute is strong, and Eastern Loads Constructions unit ngineer Aubrey Dugdale said at if all went well, and cash as available, the .Orwell ridge project — one of the lost expensive parts of the theme — could begin in 1979. lain road works would start a ear later and the road could e open to traffic in 1982.
Secretary of the Road Haulge Association Eastern Area, :en Williams, put his view in imple terms: "We need adeuate roads for our use if we re to stop driving through eople's back yards.
"We don't mind what route le by-pass takes but we just on't want to clog up the pwns."
Ted Smith, a local haulier 3150 years, said: "As soon as idustry in the region bucks p a bit, the roads in Ipswich ould be at a standstill at peak ours if we don't get the y-pass.
"We want to cause the iinimurn of inconvenience to he public, and railways are ot the answer. If people feel trongly that they don't want us by-pass, then fair enough, re will drive through their )wns, but that will end in haos.
"It has got to come. The Iternative would be intolleraLe bottlenecks and the possiility of serious accidents." The inquiry resumes in Ipsich on July 4.