Aldham villagers feel they 'don't matter' over street collapse

The Street in Aldham is closed following its partial collapse in November 2023

People in a village have said they feel like they "don't matter" after highways managers confirmed a damaged road would remain closed for several months.

Part of The Street in Aldham near Hadleigh, in Suffolk, collapsed in November and was subsequently closed.

Residents were initially told repairs would be completed by 19 December, but investigation work is yet to begin.

Villager Matt Ryland said: "It's a complete disgrace."

Suffolk Highways said there had been "further deterioration" since the road was closed

In mid-December, Suffolk Highways said it planned to reopen the road to light traffic but the diversion would remain in place for HGVs.

However, following a review of the road, a spokesperson said: "The safest option was to keep the road closed.

"With the current extended periods of heavy rainfall we're experiencing, we cannot guarantee that the road will not collapse further."

A diversion route is in place along The Street, Church Hill, the A1071 and Red Hill Road, and vice versa.

Aldham resident Jenni Green fears being "cut off completely" as the diversion route is prone to flooding.

"We feel like we don't matter out here in the sticks," she said.

The road has been closed since November and is expected to remain closed for "the next few months"

Steve Lomas, who also lives in the village, said: "The council are showing little or no regard for the needs of local residents, as surely the repair should not take so long.

"The alternative routes are now showing serious signs of wear and tear."

The Suffolk Highways spokesperson added: "We recognise that the road closure is causing disruption to local businesses and residents in both Aldham and Elmsett. This was considered during our review but given the condition of the road, the safety of road users has to take priority.

More details would be provided once they became available, the spokesperson said, but they expected the road "to be closed for the next few months".