Back to list The Sizewell C Project

Representation by Bredfield Parish Council (Bredfield Parish Council )

Date submitted
14 July 2020
Submitted by
Parish councils
  1. Traffic levels on southern part of A12: The A12 immediately to the North of Woodbridge is a single-carriageway road. Sizewell Stage 3 Consultation Document acknowledged that this part of the road would be significantly affected by Sizewell bound traffic, (cf. para 6.2.6), but then fails to offer any mitigation, and appears to put the remit for any improvements on the County Council (para. 6.4.14). This fails to take responsibility for the impact the increased Sizewell traffic will have on vehicles attempting to join or cross the A12 from adjoining settlements. Gaining access onto the A12 from is already difficult. Although minor roads, they are vital access routes, not just for people in Bredfield, but for the villages further to the west, travelling to sites in Martlesham and Ipswich, as well as by school buses and local businesses. This traffic is boosted y holiday traffic from several holiday sites within the parish. It is feared that that this already considerable amount of traffic will be joined by Sizewell-C workers bound for the Southern Park and Ride facility, who may leave the designated route (B.1078), if a problem arises on the route, and will use the smaller roads from Debach or Charsfield, which are narrow with tight blind bends and no pavements, to gain access to the A12. 2. Air Quality: The increase in traffic to the levels forecast will inevitably result in a deterioration in air quality along the A12, and is a cause for concern for those communities like Bredfield, which adjoin the road. 3. Tourism: No consideration has been taken of the impact of increased traffic levels on the tourist industry locally. Bredfield hosts a range of facilities all of which generate traffic which relies on access to the A12; if it becomes problematic to reach or leave these sites, then they will undoubtedly suffer. 4. Environment: The Landscape Character Assessment (Alison Farmer Associates; 2018) notes that in this area “…The road network contrasts from the busy A12 trunk road to tiny lanes,... The rural area is served by a winding network of small, hedged interconnecting lanes…They are key to the character of this area and how it is experienced…” (cf. LCA p.127). The forecast levels of traffic which will use the A12, and the threat of displacing traffic onto the narrow roads that abut the main road, as outlined above, will inevitably have an impact on this picture 5. Mitigation: Some form of mitigation in the form of improvements to the single carriageway section of the A12 and junction of the Bredfield exit is needed to offset the cumulative negative impact of high levels of traffic, the restricted access to the A12 and degradation of air quality. There is scope for alleviation measures, such as wider exit/entry lanes and traffic islands and the Parish Council would welcome any such mitigation.