Safety in Bungay
When every traffic issue comes down to one underlying concern
When every traffic issue comes down to one underlying concern
For many residents, safety is now the issue that brings together almost every traffic concern in Bungay. Whether it is speeding, heavy lorries, narrow pavements, parking, visibility, or difficult crossings, the underlying worry is often the same: someone is going to get hurt if things do not improve.
One small but important success for The Bungay Traffic Forum is that following concerns raised locally, the courtesy crossings in the town centre are now due to be marked with black and white “dragon’s teeth” road markings to make them more visible.
Parents and grandparents have raised concerns about children crossing busy roads on their way to and from school, particularly St John’s Road. The issue there is not usually speeding. In fact, traffic is often slow-moving because parked cars force vehicles to weave, stop, and give way. However, St John’s Road is also the designated route for HGVs travelling north through the town — effectively the only permitted route for transiting heavy lorries.
Residents have questioned whether this creates an appropriate environment for children and families walking to school in Wingfield Street. It may even contribute to decisions to drive children, increasing congestion on Wingfield and Beccles Road at school times.
Elsewhere in the town centre, many of us have experienced feeling vulnerable where very large lorries pass extremely close to pedestrians already navigating narrow pavements.
One morning at about 4am I woke to the sound of a heavy lorry engine idling outside. I pulled on some clothes and ran outside shouting “No! No!” to stop the driver crossing the unsuitable bridge at the western end of Earsham Street. Sadly, this is not unusual. I now sleep at the back of the house partly to avoid these night-time dramas.
— S Gagen, Earsham Street resident
If you have witnessed something worrying — or been directly involved in a near miss or dangerous situation — we strongly encourage you to write to the Town Clerk explaining exactly what happened and why it concerned you. Specific real-life examples carry far more weight than general complaints.
Nothing will change unless people continue to speak up.
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