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Ipswich northern bypass: 'Majority' against proposals

BBC Ipswich protestBBC
Plans for the northern bypass have attracted opposition including 500 protesters marching to the county council's HQ

More than two-thirds of people who took part in a consultation on a proposed northern bypass around Ipswich were against it, it has been revealed.

Suffolk County Council also said in order to afford the road, about 15,000 homes would need to be built.

There are three proposed routes for the multi-million pound road which would link the A14/A140 and the A12.

Council leader Matthew Hicks said a decision on whether to go forward with the plans would be made next month.

He said the Conservative-run council had only committed to stage one of the process, which was the public consultation and carrying out the strategic outline business case, details of which have been made public.

Suffolk County Council Northern Bypass mapSuffolk County Council
Three routes were proposed for the northern bypass around Ipswich

Borough and district councils are yet to give their views as it would be up to those local authorities to look at their housing need, Mr Hicks said.

"We look forward to hearing back to give us some clarity on the housing growth above the local plans," he said.

"We know the views of the members of the Parliament. We also need to take into account the climate emergency, the petition we received and the fact that the scheme has changed from being a road-only scheme to a road scheme with housing and growth attached."

Petition
MP Dan Poulter is against the proposals

Ipswich MP Tom Hunt has been in favour of the plans while his fellow Conservatives, Central Suffolk & North Ipswich's Dan Poulter and Suffolk Coastal's Therese Coffey, have been against it.

About 500 people marched to Suffolk County Council's HQ to hand in a 4,500-signature petition protesting against the proposed bypass in September.

Protesters said building the scheme would destroy the countryside, increase pollution and would cost the taxpayer millions of pounds without reducing traffic.

East Suffolk Council, also Conservative-controlled, said having studied the findings from the outline business case and the public consultation, it was not in favour of the proposed bypass.

Mid Suffolk District Council, again run by the Tories, also said it was against it while Labour-run Ipswich Borough Council said it was in favour.