A campaigner calling for improvements to prevent a Suffolk road from flooding has praised the 'truly amazing' response of the public after a petition passed the 3,000 signature mark.
John Huggins, who often posts on social media about the situation at Potters Bridge near Southwold, was responding after the petition calling for action, organised by Rebecca Clatworthy on the change.org website hit the milestone.
He said: "To think this lowly-populated area can achieve 3,000 signatures on a petition in 12 days, it’s truly amazing and shows the strength of feelings to maintain the road."
READ MORE: Drains will be jetted and channels cut at Potters Bridge
Potters Bridge often becomes impassable to traffic during periods of heavy rainfall or high tides when water levels in nearby Easton Broad become too high and flood onto the road.
The petition is aimed at Suffolk Coastal MP Thérèse Coffey and makes two recommendations.
These include working together to devise and implement a regular maintenance plan for both the road and waterway around the bridge and to proactively monitor the situation to prevent problems arising.
READ MORE: Petition calls for solution at Potters Bridge near Southwold
The petition's page describes the B1127 as the 'principal access route' into Southwold from the north, which is used by locals, businesses and staff, as well as emergency services.
It adds: "The repeated flooding and road closures on this road are resulting in a great number of people having to divert via Wangford, onto a road which is not suitable for the volume of traffic, at one of the most significant junction accident cluster sites in the county (B1126/A12).
"This is not only creating congestion and immense frustration but is adding miles to peoples’ journeys, hitting them in their pockets and creating additional emissions."
READ MORE: Southwold news
At a meeting earlier this month between representatives of Suffolk County Council's highways team and the Environment Agency, a series of measures were agreed to deal with the situation at Potters Bridge.
These include implementing better road signage, clearing and jetting drains and cutting channels into the verge to enable water to drain away.
In November, the EADT revealed that a team from the Environment Agency had visited the broad to create a drainage channel to take water to the sea, but the movement of the sea would mean this channel would often become blocked again.
READ MORE: Suffolk news
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