Bury St Edmunds Cllr David Nettleton makes formal call for ‘permanent solution’ to stop cut-through traffic in Peckham Street after ‘nightmare week’

A councillor has called for a ‘permanent solution’ to stop vehicles using a narrow one-way residential street in Bury St Edmunds as a cut-through after residents were left facing a ‘nightmare’ last week.

Cllr David Nettleton has written to leaders at Suffolk County Council to try to resolve the issue after motorists including HGVs used Peckham Street as a short-cut to avoid a closure of Tayfen Road.

He said one resident had referred to the situation as a ‘nightmare 24/7’, with two-way traffic jams and frayed tempers.

Signs were put in place last week to make clear the road was for residents access only after Cllr Nettleton contacted Suffolk Highways but he has written to the county council this week with an idea for a long-term plan.

Writing to Paul West, cabinet member for operational highways, and Chris Chambers, cabinet member for transport strategy, Cllr Nettleton said a ‘permanent solution’ was required to prevent it happening again.

He suggested turning Peckham Street and neighbouring St John’s Place into a horseshoe shaped traffic route with protective bollards to prevent vehicle access to St Andrew’s Street North.

Foot traffic would not be affected.

Entry to St John’s Place would be from St John’s Street, and the exit would be from Peckham Street to Ipswich Street.

The two-way traffic flow in Ipswich Street could be extended into St John’s Street as far as St John’s Place for the benefit of local businesses.

He said: “If anyone has a better plan, let’s do that instead. What is not fair would be to do nothing. I accept the ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ mantra, but it is broke, so it needs fixing. I owe this to those Peckham Street residents who contacted me last week.”

Suffolk Highways was approached for comment.