Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Hunt Excerpts

Thursday 3rd December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

I certainly can. I have just approved the safeguarding of the land to ensure that it can happen.

[Tom Hunt (Ipswich) (Con)]

Over the summer, I carried out a survey in Ravenswood, and by far the No. 1 issue was access. In fact, there is only one access point, at the Thrasher’s roundabout on Nacton Road. Suffolk County Council has put in a bid to the pinch point fund and is currently awaiting an outcome. Would the Secretary of State look favourably upon this application, which could be a game changer with regard to this issue? Will he also meet me to discuss a solution to this, to make life better for Ravenswood residents who currently have to put up with unacceptable levels of congestion every day when they leave their community to go to work, drop off their kids at school or whatever else it is?

[Grant Shapps]

I know just how difficult the traffic is at the Thrasher’s roundabout on Nacton Road and how hard my hon. Friend has campaigned on this. The pinch point fund or, more likely, the levelling-up fund, would be the way to proceed with this. That is the new £4 billion fund to resolve problems exactly like the Thrasher’s roundabout.