Stradishall has suffered from numerous road closures recently. They affect the villagers but also those who commute through Stradishall from other villages and Clare on their way to Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds.

Clare is a thriving small town that depends on visitors to keep the shops busy. Having roads closed that feed into it is devastating. I regularly travel to Bury St Edmunds and feel the pain.

What is even worse is when roads are closed with little or no notice. Highways close roads but they generally give warnings. Emergency water repairs are carried out by the water company and they have the powers to close roads with little to no notice. Whilst I understand an emergency is an emergency and must be dealt with, sometimes roads have closure signs but are passable with care. Other times the roads are closed. The uncertainty is so frustrating.

At a strategic level I think water companies need to be pushed into maintenance / planned replacement rather than this constant emergency situation. Somehow the cost of emergency work must be higher than planned work. I will get my sharp pen out!!!

See below of me talking to the press on the matter.

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24291346.councillor-anglian-water-road-closures-stradishall/