Annette Feeney 16 Grays Orchard Programme Officer Kirton Room 123 Coastal District Council IP10 0RE Melton Hill Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 1AU

Dear Mrs Feeney,

Kirton & Parish Council wish to add a further submission relating to a further analysis of the issues of the A14 in the Core Strategy, which may well be of interest to the Inspector in assessing its soundness.

The relevant paragraph of the Core Strategy which we consider unsound is paragraph 3.106: 3.106 At the local level it is an important east / west route providing road access to the strategic employment sites at and Ipswich, and to and Woodbridge on the A12. Parts of the A14 route where it crosses Suffolk Coastal District area as well as Ipswich Borough Council and Babergh District Council areas, for example the Orwell Bridge or Seven Hills or Copdock Interchange junctions where the A12 and A14 combine into a single route suffer from traffic congestion problems. The Haven Gateway Ipswich A14 Corridor Study (July 2007) confirmed that around 40% of traffic on the Orwell Bridge were local trips and suggested a number of short (2011), medium (2016) and longer term measures (2021), to address these problems. In essence, the short and medium term solutions are for a combination of traffic management measures aimed at reducing the amount of short distance local traffic movements thereby enabling the route to fulfil its strategic role.

Our view is that it does not meet the Positively Prepared soundness criteria of paragraph 182 of the NPPF.

Our view is that it fails because the CS identifies the A14 problem and then implies that "The Haven Gateway Ipswich A14 Corridor Study (July 2007)" addresses the solutions. It also seems to imply that the responsibility for the A14 issues is with this Study. It is however only a study, not a solution or agreed programme.

Crucially, given that it was written five years ago, and had a timescale of completion of the “Short Term Measures” which has now passed, we can evaluate its success. The table for “Short Term Measures” is below:

Some of the above have clearly not been implemented, others are unclear. If SCDC are relying on this study to deal with the traffic, then it should have presented a report on which of this measure have been implemented, which planned, and which have been dropped.

The Medium Term Measures list is equally concerning, for example it includes further Ipswich Park and Ride facilities, which have been reduced, not increased, since the Study was produced. The Long Term Measures list is of similar concern.

SCDC have to demonstrate that they have liaised with other authorities to ensure the impact on traffic which the policies in the CS will create have been incorporated into realistic and planned mitigations by those authorities. The reference to this out of date document gives the unfortunate impression that these issues have been addressed.

The CS can be made sound only by a full liaison with those other authorities and obtaining approved documentation that the traffic issues have been addressed.

Best Wishes, Jack Cade On behalf of Kirton and Falkenham Parish Council 20th September 2012 Copies: 19 participants for Matter 3 participants plus 3 further copies lodged at Melton Hill offices.99933