Work starts on bridleway resurfacing between Bury St Edmunds and Horringer

Suffolk Highways has begun work on resurfacing a bridleway between Horringer and Buy St Edmunds to open it up to cyclists and pedestrians.

Most of the route will be off-road but it will include a short section alongside the A143 and provide a non-vehicle access to the landmark Ickworth House.

The scheme is the culmination of a long running campaign by the local community to have an off-road pedestrian and cycle route from Horringer to Bury, to avoid the A143.

Costing in the region of £117,000, the bridleway starts on Westley Lane in Horringer and ends at the play area to the rear of Bedell Close in Bury St Edmunds.

The county council worked with the community, the National Trust, and Horringer-cum-Ickworth Parish Council to develop the scheme and agree the route, which is due for completion in late August.

Ickworth House, ancestral home of the Marquess of Bristol, is now owned by the National Trust and the new pedestrian and cycle route will complement its network of walking and cycling trails in its grounds.

The scheme will involve surfacing the existing bridleway to create a two-metre-wide path along the route, which includes a small section alongside the A143.

Works close to the highway will see temporary traffic signals in place to ensure the safety of the public and workforce.

Councillor Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County Council Cabinet member for Transport and Highways said: “The county council is very appreciative of the cooperation of the landowners involved and the generous support of the National Trust at Ickworth.

“Opening up this route to cyclists and pedestrians will give residents and visitors a safe, attractive, and largely off‑road alternative to the A143, while also creating a new sustainable gateway to the iconic Ickworth House.

“It will strengthen the area’s leisure and tourism offer by linking directly into the National Trust’s walking and cycling trails at Ickworth.”

Glen Pearce, National Trust Visitor Operations Manager at Ickworth, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support Suffolk County Council with this project that will provide residents of Bury St Edmunds a safe walking and cycling route to Ickworth Estate.

“We encourage visitors where possible to arrive via methods other than cars so to have a proper route to support this is very much welcomed and will be a great asset for the local community.”