Calls for green priorities in East Anglia transport plan

Work on Lowestoft's Gull Wing bridge/third water crossing has been identified as important to the region's transport strategy

Campaigners from Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex have signed a joint statement calling for greener priorities in a transport plan for the next 30 years.

The consultation for the blueprint by Transport East, a transport body for the three counties, ended on Sunday.

Campaigners said they wanted the plan to prioritise funding for cycling, walking and public transport and to freeze new road building.

Transport East said the strategy would be a published in the spring.

The campaigners said they also wanted the plan to address "current transport needs rather than 'unlocking' thousands of new homes through road-building", and to take into account the "problems and benefits of different transport approaches".

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The joint statement has been signed by 15 campaigners, including councillors, members of action groups and individuals.

Transport East's draft plan identified six key transport corridors:

• Great Yarmouth - Norwich - King's Lynn - Midlands

• Suffolk coast and Norwich - Ipswich - Colchester - Chelmsford - London

• Norfolk and Suffolk - Cambridge - Midlands - South West

• Harwich and Clacton - Colchester - Braintree - Stansted

• King's Lynn - Cambridge - Harlow - London

• South Essex - London - Thurrock - Basildon - Southend

Transport East said the plan was focused on the four areas of achieving net zero carbon, connecting towns and cities, energising rural and coastal communities, and unlocking international gateways.

Its 55 priorities for investment included projects already under way like the Lowestoft Gull Wing bridge and those in development such as the A14 Copdock developments at Ipswich and Great Eastern Main Line upgrades.

Among ambitions for the improvements would be reducing carbon-intensive trips, encouraging the switch from cars to public transport, promoting more sustainable fuels and creating faster and more reliable transport connections, it said.

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