East Bergholt Parish Council – Roads, Footpaths & Flatford Committee.

Annual Report 2020

Committee members : Robin Lansdell (Chairman), Ricky Allen, John Price, Graeme Woodcock.
Ex-officio members : Joan Miller, Nigel Roberts.

The committee monitors both the roads and footpaths (about 13.5 miles) in the parish, to ensure all are
maintained in an acceptable condition. Its responsibility also includes watching over the environment
of the area around Flatford. Unfortunately the Parish Council’s powers over the roads and footpaths
are very limited and the Council is reliant on the statutory powers of Suffolk County Council,
Babergh District Council and the Police for action in respect of any highway matters, but where there
are problems which need attention these are brought to the notice of the appropriate authority.

The committee is also responsible to the Parish Council for any matters relating to the Red Lion car
park and toilets (which are held by the Parish Council on a lease which ends in 2034).

Last year Suffolk County Council invited Parish Councils to visit the Highways Department’s ‘hub’ at
Ipswich. Two members of the committee were given a tour of the unit and learnt how highways work
is prioritised and allocated, and how fault reporting is dealt with. One particular recommendation
from that visit is that the best and quickest way to have highways faults, such as potholes, blocked
footpaths, etc., dealt with is to use the County Council’s on-line reporting tool, rather than asking the
Parish Clerk to report the matter.

Meetings have taken place with Councillor Gordon Jones (the County Councillor for East Bergholt)
and Suffolk County Council’s Highways officers looking at pedestrian, traffic and parking problems
in various parts of the parish, including Woodgates Road and, following Parish Council traffic
workshops last September, the village centre, specifically The Street, Gaston Street and Hadleigh
Road. Unfortunately the coronavirus/Covid-19 emergency has delayed progress and the Parish
Council is awaiting a report from the Highways officers. It is hoped the report will include proposals
for a 20mph zone within the village which may cover Flatford Road as well. Meanwhile it is expected
that by mid-May The Street and the southern part of Gaston Street will have been resurfaced.

The vegetative areas on the Red Lion car park have been improved and well maintained by Councillor
Woodcock (ably assisted by his wife) and potholes in the surface have been repaired where necessary.
The committee is monitoring the flooding, which has occurred at times of heavy rainfall, to establish
what may need to be done to reduce this problem and consideration is being given to what changes
(subject to the landlord’s agreement) may be desirable to generally improve the use and appearance of
the car park.

As from April this year the enforcement of road parking regulations has passed from the Police to
Babergh District Council and it is hoped that there will be improved control of parking where yellow
lines exist in the village centre.

Litter continues to be a problem. Unfortunately the additional litter picker the Parish Council
employed, with grant from the District Council, to work on Straight and Park Roads resigned last
year. The committee is looking at ways of continuing that work safely.

Other matters within the committee’s work have been attendance at an AONB Behaviours Meeting at
Flatford, a possible involvement with Bentley Parish Council in a ‘Quiet Lanes’ project for the East
End to Bentley road, a proposal led by Councillor Price to improve pedestrian access in the parish and
consideration of an idea put forward by County Councillor Jones to use ANPR speed equipment,
jointly with other parishes, for better compliance with 30mph speed limits. The committee monitors
and supports the efforts being made to alter the A12/B1070 Four Sisters junction to improve the

safety of the junction. This is dependant on Government and Highways England funding and action
which has not been forthcoming so far although it was pleasing to note the resurfacing of slip roads.

I wish to record my thanks to the other members of the committee and to our Parish Clerk and his
predecessor for their help and support over the past year

Robin Lansdell
Chairman, Roads, Footpaths & Flatford Committee, East Bergholt Parish Council