News

The long-running fight by Orwell Crossing truck park to win permission for signs on the A14 that makes drivers aware of its facilities could be decided next month.

Park owner Karl Rout has faced continued objections from the Highways Agency (HA) over his wish to put a sign up that allows lorry drivers to prepare to turn off on the busy Suffolk A-road, because it  believes it will turn it into a 'destination in its own right'.

This is despite claims from Rout that a lack of signage will eventually lead to someone being killed on the road.

Rout has entered a second application with Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC) for an illuminated sign, and it is likely that its success will be decided at a councillors' committee meeting on 13 November. He says the HA has already written a letter to SCDC recommending it is refused, despite it winning support from two local authorities.

He has now responded to the case officer demanding to be told what rights the HA has to comment on advertisement applications. But at the latest Suffolk Lorry Park Association meeting, the HA stood by its decision.

Rout says: "I said, 'you have a campaign: tiredness kills. What's the point if you don't tell people where you can take a break?' The way they deal with it is to chuck themselves around and claim we are being unreasonable."

The HA has offered to erect its own sign which shows symbols for lorry parking, toilets and telephones, but wants the truck park to pay £10,000 for it, which it says is too expensive.

The agency was unable to explain to Commercial Motor why it would cost this amount or why it believes this is an acceptable alternative.