MP’s letter helps to secure crossing on dangerous Mildenhall road

A county council has agreed to put a crossing on a dangerously busy road in Mildenhall following pressure from the community and the town’s MP.

Matthew Hancock, MP for West Suffolk, wrote to Suffolk County Council asking for a pedestrian crossing to be built near the Fiveways roundabout in response to mounting safety concerns after the opening of a new McDonalds.

Following Mr Hancock’s letter, and a well-supported campaign by a concerned parent to implement a crossing on Bury Road, the county council has agreed to look into installing one as soon as possible.

Mr Hancock is a firm supporter of improving safety on the busy roundabout, having already shown his support for the growing Safety At Fiveways (SAFE) campaign.

He said: “The swift action to put in a pedestrian crossing next to Fiveways is really good news.

“Bury Road is particularly busy and has seen many people crossing the road since the opening of McDonalds on the Fiveways roundabout.

“These include older students from Mildenhall College Academy who have an exit pass to allow them to leave the building at lunchtimes.”

Rachel Royal, who spearheaded the campaign for a crossing, said: “I am really happy to see that things are moving forward.

“I hope they will complete the crossing sooner rather than later. It is about the safety of local children, that is what matters.”

A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: “We are currently working on the design work for this new crossing as we recognise the importance of developing a new pedestrian crossing at this location.

“We hope to commence work by early 2016.”

Running alongside Ms Royal’s petition, the SAFE campaign has launched a petition calling for improvements at Fiveways, including traffic lights, which has so far gathered 3,000 signatures.

Wendy Chipping, from SAFE, said: “We are asking for people to support us to get safety improvements on Fiveways and the surrounding areas, pushing for traffic reduction and to help congestion. There are a lot of areas covered by the petition.”

Mr Hancock said he was ‘not complacent’ in regards to safety at Fiveways, adding: “There is still a way to go for further upgrades and to permanently change the layout of the whole area.”

Members of SAFE will be outside Wilkinson’s in Mildenhall today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday) and on November 13 and 14 from 10am to 4pm to collect signatures for their petition.