Suffolk Chamber of Commerce launches business survey on ‘persistent problems’ on A14

Systemic policy failures have led to persistent problems along the A14, from Newmarket to Felixstowe, Suffolk’s Chamber of Commerce has said.

Businesses are being quizzed on how issues on the route are affecting operations and how investment and job growth could get worse unless they are fixed.

The Chamber’s A14 Improvement Group, set up last month, is conducting a survey to study the impacts repeated delays on the route would have.

It is gathering evidence from the county’s businesses to show why an ‘immediate and sustained’ focus from authorities is needed to fix the issues.

The chamber said it was keen for businesses of all shapes and sizes to take part in the election.

However, Jon Dugmore, chief executive, said: “It is vital that the voice of business gets some proper cut through amidst the ongoing chatter about the A14.

“The aim of our research is to provide clear and unequivocal evidence as to how the continued delays, re-routings and congestion is negatively affecting the business community and how unless this is addressed there is a risk of investment being siphoned off to other parts of the country as a result.”

Last month, Suffolk’s chamber called for better co-ordination on closures on the Orwell Bridge, as well as Ipswich’s roads, over fears on the impact they were having on businesses.

Businesses have until November 29 to take part.

The results are expected to be published in the New Year.

Paul Simon, head of public affairs at Suffolk Chamber, said the chamber was particularly interested to hear from firms in the haulage, energy, logistics and ports sectors.

Mr Simon said these sectors were of growing importance to the prosperity of Suffolk and the wider economy.

“No sensible Government should ignore research which shows that such firms are finding that the additional costs of doing business due to closures and congestion are a growing burden,” he said.

“That is bad news for Suffolk and national economic security.

“We hope this research will be a wake-up call to policymakers to act quickly and invest properly in the much-neglected A14 infrastructure including the Orwell Bridge and the wider roads network in Suffolk.”