A14 Business Survey Calls for Urgent Action from Policymakers to Protect Suffolk’s Economy

Suffolk businesses are being quizzed as to how persistent problems along the A14 in the county are impacting on their current operations and unless solutions are implemented, how these might negatively influence investment and jobs growth in the county and national economic security.

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce believes that in recent years there has been a systemic policy failure along the length of the A14 from Newmarket to the Port of Felixstowe on the part of both national and local policymakers.

As a result, the Chamber’s A14 Improvement Group is gathering evidence from the county’s businesses to show why there needs to be an immediate and sustained focus from local authorities, the Department for Transport and National Highways in solving the persistent delays and congestion associated with this strategic road.

John Dugmore, Suffolk Chamber’s 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.”

Suffolk Chamber is keen that as many businesses, of all sizes and from all sectors participate, but the business body believes it is especially vital to maximise response rates from the haulage, energy, logistics and ports sectors.

Paul Simon, head of public affairs at Suffolk Chamber, added: “These sectors are of growing importance to the prosperity both of our county and the wider economy. No sensible Government should ignore research which shows that such firms are finding that the additional costs of doing businesses due to closures and congestion are a growing burden.

“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.”

Suffolk businesses have until 29^th November to make their views known, with the results expected to be made public in the New Year.

The A14 survey, comprising 15 questions, can be found here.