Bury St Edmunds Moreton Hall residents’ relief as cycle and walk route consultation is dropped

Residents on a Bury St Edmunds housing estate have shared their relief after a consultation into a new cycle and walking route was dropped.

Residents and businesses on Moreton Hall were up in arms after learning that Barton Road could be made one-way, as part of the plan, which they felt would inconvenience hundreds of people nearby.

Suffolk County Council (SCC) wants to make it ‘safer and easier’ for residents to walk and cycle to town by making roads ‘less busy’.

The full proposal stretches from Barton Road in the east, to Newmarket Road in the west, and included shared cycle lanes, zebra crossings, pedestrian and cyclist priority areas. The overall aim and intention was applauded.

However, Moreton Hall Residents’ Association, Bury St Edmunds, launched its own consultation into the route after concerns their views would not be ‘accurately reflected’ with regard to the Barton Road plan.

Other issues were raised in town about plans for Risbygate Street and Eastgate Street.

Andy McGowan, of the association, said: “We are pleased that the council has made the sensible decision to cancel this consultation and go back to the drawing board.

“In just two weeks, we had over 250 Moreton Hall residents and employees complete our own survey because they were worried their voices and concerns would not be heard.

“The council now needs to ensure that residents and local groups like our residents’ association are meaningfully involved and our local knowledge valued as the council draw up any future proposals.”

He added: “The council’s own consultation made some assumptions as to what the benefits, such as reducing traffic, pollution; and we have asked if people agree with those.

“Issues coming up consistently were concerns about the M33 bus route, particularly for older residents and those with health conditions.

“Another was about what it will do to Mount Road in terms of the traffic there, particularly as there is a school on that stretch and a T-junction at the end, whereas at the end of Barton Road you have a roundabout with a more natural flow.”

The council had proposed schemes at five towns and villages throughout the county, using funding awarded through the Government’s Active Travel England.

Consultations are still going ahead over the plans for Woodbridge, Felixstowe and Copdock and Capel St Mary.

Other concerns had been expressed by businesses on Risbygate Street where the proposals included a kerbed cycle lane, and along Eastgate Street, where ‘give and take’ shuttle system was suggested.

Jonathan Howe, who runs Risbygate Solicitors, in Risbygate Street, said at the time: “I am a keen cyclist and cycle everywhere.

“The route was just poorly thought out, some parts makes no cycling sense and are just nonsense.

“I am all for improving cycling routes and the environmental reasons behind it. But I challenge Suffolk County Council planners to get on their bikes and come and ride through town to see which areas could really be improved.”

Suffolk County Council confirmed the current scheme had been dropped.

Chris Chambers, SCC cabinet member for transport strategy, planning and waste, said: “Suffolk County Council has listened to residents and made the decision to cancel the consultation on these specific proposals for walking, wheeling and cycling schemes in Bury St Edmunds.

“We thank the number of residents who have already engaged with the consultation and provided feedback to our survey, and we’ll be using this valuable insight to inform future consultations made to improve travel infrastructure in the town, which I’m determined will be shaped hand-in-hand with local communities.”