The A143 in Suffolk has been closed due to heat damage, forcing drivers to face significant disruption and a lengthy diversion. The road connecting Stanton and Ixworth was shut this week after high temperatures caused deterioration, affecting the most direct route between Scole and Bury St Edmunds.
Diversion and Impact on Motorists
Motorists must navigate small country lanes during the closure, expected to last until Monday. Larger vehicles unsuitable for smaller roads face a 62-mile diversion. Garage owner Jordan Griffiths, who runs JG Services in Stanton, said recovery trucks now take four or five miles extra per job, increasing recovery times. He described the road as an 'absolute mess' and the diversion as 'diabolical' in comments to Bury Mercury.
Local MP Calls for Answers
Bury St Edmunds MP Peter Prinsley warned of 'significant disruption' to residents, commuters, and businesses. He said: 'This disruption is having a major impact on residents, commuters and businesses, and local people deserve urgent answers on how this situation was allowed to develop and how quickly the road will reopen.' In a letter to the highways authority, Prinsley noted residents had flagged concerns before the heatwave, asking how the road was allowed to deteriorate to this extent.
Repairs and Future Works
Suffolk Highways said the worst defects will be repaired this week, and the road was already identified for further improvement works later this summer. It attributed the damage to 'prolonged hot weather and local traffic conditions' that sped up surface deterioration. Councillor Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for highways, said three miles of road across the county have been affected by heat, with teams monitoring and taking preventative measures.
