Annex 2 - Household Comments - Botesdale - Suffolk County Council

Rickinghall and Botesdale Village Appraisal 

Annex 2 - Household Comments 

Many of the questions had two parts, the numerical, yes/no, or choices part and then an opportunity to 

comment. You gave us pages and pages of comments, so much that we have had to edit them to economise on 

the printing. We have tried to keep to the spirit of your comments. 

Please remember that all the views expressed are personal perceptions, not necessarily facts. Comments 

about identifiable individuals have been omitted. 

Q5 

Is this dwelling rented, owned etc? 

Tenant Farmer. 

Q6 

barns. 

What type of dwelling is this? 

Public House, Inn, Hotel; Small holding; House/Shop; Village house; Attached house; Converted 

Q8 

If you moved here, what were the main reasons you moved here? 

Building Plot (2); To find the type of property required in our price range (2); Born Here; Village 

native; Married village native; Bought a business; To follow husband; No particular reason; Because I liked 

the house; To open a shop; To be near family; To be near family (2); To release a three bedroom house; 

Both born here; Council moved us here; Parents moved here; Always lived here; To be near family; Born 

here; Born here after parents moved here; Attractive house and garden; Shops & small community; Shops 

& small community; To be with partner; Was homeless; Partner's work; Moved locally. Wanted a slightly 

larger property; Family moved here; Church (2); Shorter journey time to Norwich; Bigger house (2); 

Health and family; To return to the village I was born in; Because my parents moved here; Family here (2); 

Born in the village; Family (2); Farming (2); Former house not big enough; To be near family; Always been 

local to Botesdale; Always lived here; Affordable property; Born here; Only place I could afford; To be 

nearer the family; Because of spouse's job; Value for money; Moved with parents (2); Married a local man; 

Temporarily homeless as house got burnt out; To be near family; Born here; Moved to Rickinghall with 

parents at age 5; To move from another country. The only suitable house details sent to us; Shops; Evacuee 

- no option; Got broke into at previous address; To be nearer family; To be nearer family; As toddler when 

parents moved here; To be near family (2); With parents. I moved here to be near my daughter and family. 

Q9 Please enter the number of children under 16 in your household who attend the following (types 

of Education) 

One at West Suffolk College; One home educated; Primary School but not St Botolphs 

unfortunately. 

Q10 

Please enter the number of people in your household 16 and over who attend further education: 

Gap year; Art Classes; Art, music; Evening classes; Evening classes; Computer and adult 

education; Recreational course; Home Study; Leisure classes; Evening classes; Evening classes. 

Q11 If any of your children under 16 would like to take part in after school activities, after hours, 

and are unable to do so, please give the reasons why : 

Catered for at school; Child a bit young at present (0-4); To be near children. 

Household Comments Annex 2 - Page 1 of 40 May 03


Q18 

How would you describe your main occupation at present? 

Retired SSMI. Childcare. 

Q19 

If you are in waged employment, what is the business of your major employer? 

Church; Child-minder; Publishing; Education; Student; Animal health; Publishing (2); Charity 

administration; Cleaner; Electrician; Nursery education (private); Public Health; Care work Social services; 

Haulage; Consulting Engineer; Art College; Office work; NHS; Professional body; Cleaner; Law firm; 

Sales; Communications; Facilities management; Computer input; Printing; Private sector nursing; 

Independent Healthcare; Decorator; Contract research; IT; Care; Education; Housekeeper; Nature 

conservation; Teaching / Research; Agricultural / Builders Merchant; Leisure; Nursing Home; Promotional; 

Brewery - sales correspondence; Pharmaceuticals; Telecoms; Chemicals; NGO; TV Companies (2); 

voluntary sector charity; Examiner for Examination Board; Education research for a private foundation; 

Clinical waste incinerator; Health and safety consultant; US Navy; Domestic help; Professional (2); DSS; 

Brewery. We are involved in 3 businesses in the area, 2 provide local employment directly, 1 indirectly. 

Q20 

Where is your main place of work? 

Essex; Two places of work - in the villages and Eye; Throughout Suffolk; Berkshire; Brandon; 

Pakenham; Redgrave; Palgrave; Thetford; Cambridge; Wattisfield; Hopton; Wortham; Chelmsford; 

Works from home; Redgrave; Blo Norton; London & Cambridge; Thorndon; Mellis; Mellis; Stanton(4); 

Surrounding areas; Thetford (2); Banham; Thetford; Stanton (2); All over the County; Essex; Market 

Weston; Mendlesham; East Harling; Stansted Airport; Stanton; Redgrave; Beccles and Thetford; 

Honington; Stanton (2); Wortham; Redgrave; Stanton; Walsham le Willows; Burston; All of East 

Anglia; Ixworth; Attleborough; Hethel; Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich; Huntingdon; Occold; Gatwick; 

Various locations; Ixworth; Staines, Middlesex; Stanton; Thetford; Hertfordshire; Bedfield; 

Wymondham; Watton; Thetford (2); Norwich and London; Stanton; Walsham le Willows; Mumford; 

Stanton; Framlingham; Stanton, Mellis; Riddlesworth; Redgrave (2); Framlingham; Thetford; 

Framlingham; Reading, Berkshire; Denham; Westhorpe; Halesworth; Various; Thetford; Everywhere; 

Bressingham; Norfolk and Cambridgeshire; Anglia; Huntingdon; United Kingdom; All over East Anglia; 

Racing circuits throughout the UK; Racing throughout East Anglia; Luton; within the villages, Diss, Eye, 

Bury, Stowmarket; World; Various; Either working at home or other places throughout UK; Mainly in E 

Anglia or N London; Slough; St Albans, Herts; Haverhill; Newmarket; RAF Mildenhall; RAF Honington; 

Westhorpe; Wattisfield; Woolpit; Thetford; Manchester; Long Stratton; Thetford; Rougham; 

Snetterton; Newmarket; Honington; Wortham; Bunwell; Thetford; Redgrave. 

Q21 

What is your main means of transport to work, training or study? 

Works from home but uses car, motor cycle & bicycle; Live in and on the premises; Work from 

home; Mother takes children to school by car but walks to collect. When taking children to and from school. 

In summer she usually walks both ways; Aeroplane to whichever country I'm working in. 

Q22 

What would be your preferred means of transport to work, training or study? 

Works from home but uses car, motor-cycle & bicycle; Transporter Beam !!! 

Q24 

Should there be any business development in the villages? 

Yes - but! ; Non industrial; Cafes, coffee shops; more pubs; youth places (e.g. cafes like on Home 

and Away) keep youngsters happier; Dependent on size, type etc after local consultation; Coffee 



shop/restaurant. I think there should be encouragement of small enterprises in the village - to create 

employment - to enhance the quality of life - particularly cafes, artistic events. 

Q25 

Should the following business development be encouraged in and around the Villages? 

Development to support agriculture. E.g. Farmers Market etc.; Shops will follow other developments 

as demand is created; Small shops; Business development located away from main village but close to bypass; 

Meeting place for teenagers, I.e. café, milk or juice bar etc.; Good family pub and restaurant; 

Café/tea room; Restaurant. More sociable "Country Inn" style pub; Bank; A Bank, preferably with a cash 

machine for people with HSBC accounts; Skills training/retraining. Mobile IT training e.g. specially equipped 

bus; Small landing strip and hangar on set aside land for flight training; Gym, swimming pool, cinema, baker, 

butcher, B&B facilities, regular hospital transport; Good restaurant; Family orientated Public House would 

be nice; Chemist; Bakers shop; Butchery and bakery; Swimming Pool + Petrol pumps; Swimming pool; 

Supports tourism development but NOT attractions; Charity shops. 

Q26 

How many roadworthy vehicles do you keep? 

One horse drawn flat bed 4 wheeled cart. 

Q27 

If you use a motor vehicle, what do you use the vehicle for? 

Transport for work (Church), To get to our horses; Daily to railway station; Hospital journeys, we 

have no public transport; Everything; Social; Hospital journeys; Keeping in touch with family; Hospital 

appointments in Bury, Dentist in Diss; Hospital; Travelling to and from college and visiting parents at home. 

Q28 

If responsible for motor vehicles, where do you usually park them? 

Motor cycles in garage, cars off the road; Car port. 

Q 29 How often do you use the following (bus) services? 

There is a need for the times of buses and the daily commuter service to London to be more widely 

published. Details as a notice or a leaflet delivered with the newsletter. This would benefit Simonds and 

Chenery. It would be excellent to have sufficient demand for the National Express service to be routed 

through the village again or to have a coach stop in the lay-by sections of the by-pass. The nearest stop is 

now Stanton for the morning and afternoon service. 

Q30 

If you use the bus, what do you use it for and how often? 

College; Voluntary work; I would use the bus if I had more time; No bus service; Voluntary 

activities; Daily to college; Holidays; College; Education/ Library/Courses etc.; Park and ride in Ipswich 

Q31 

If you use the train, what do you use it for and how often? 

Charity Work, occasionally; To visit family occasionally; For business; Unable to do so; To Ipswich 

(Suffolk College); Transport to get somewhere, preferably quickly; Visit son in prison; Daily to college; 

Holidays; Educational Courses; Use for travelling to and from university on trips home. 

Q32 

Would you like to see any improvements in the bus service with regard to? 



More frequent services to Diss and Bury St Edmunds; Smaller buses, more varied routes, less 

complicated connections to other villages; Bus service not too bad compared to other villages; Buses alright 

as they are; More direct route to Bury St Edmunds (2); Buses to run more frequently, like every thirty 

minutes to one hour; Access Cambridge for 8.30 a.m. and early evening return; Bus connection to Diss 

railway station; Simonds are very good and will drop us off here. Disappointed no National Express London 

buses anymore. Means going to Diss or Bury to catch them; A more direct and quicker route to Bury would 

be nice; The bus routes were altered without consultation with, and without reference to the needs of the 

community. A more frequent mini bus service to Diss would encourage less use of cars. How about the buses 

calling at the railway station like they did once? ; I will use the local bus services when I retire and have 

more time to spare. I realize it is impossible to run enough bus services to fit with everyone's working times; 

A better bus service to Norwich needed; Have no idea what buses run here as yet. (Resident less than a 

year.); Bury & Back direct like they used to be. LATE BUS; More services to Ipswich and Norwich; It would 

be nice to have one. When I moved here there was one bus from Monday to Saturday. Then two years ago we 

were told the bus would be going. I have to walk one to one and a half hours to get to the shops & doctors - 

that's one way. I have osteoporosis; There should be a stop at Allwood Green; How about a minimum hourly 

service to Diss ? ; The bus route was altered which was not a bad thing, but unfortunately the bus no longer 

goes near the railway station. It is a long walk with a case from Diss bus station and taxis are expensive. 

The National Express no longer goes through the village either; Later buses from and to BSE and Norwich; 

Night bus from BSE/Diss/Norwich; Hourly bus to BSE would help with my work shifts; Would like access to 

Moreton Hall Estate. Also direct access to BSE with separate buses for villages off main route; Buses are 

sometime not child (pushchair) friendly i.e. normal coaches; More frequent buses please; I think that the 

local bus does not go to Diss Station. It would be a help if it did; As age increases may well have more 

interest; The bus should stop in Diss nearer the station and be coordinated with train times; The bus stop 

near the Chestnuts telephone kiosk needs a sign and a shelter; the schoolchildren get soaked if it rains in 

the morning; Bus shelter are needed at all the stops for bad weather; The buses are very frequent from 

Rickinghall but do not drop and pick up at the various industrial estates in Diss. Furthermore there is a 

need for a bus to get people to Diss for an 8 am start time; Smaller buses twice the frequency; But who can 

provide it and at what cost ? We need more buses to Ipswich and Stowmarket; Should cost peanuts; I 

think we have a good bus service; There is no bus shelter in Botesdale. For example at Simonds people have 

to stand in a pool of water waiting for a bus. Bus shelters are desperately needed; More comfortable seats; 

More direct route to Bury as before; Botesdale to Stowmarket at least once a week; Too long to get there 

for people working in Bury; I get travel sick on buses; Given very limited use of buses, it would be pointless 

to comment on service offered; Diss service bus fails to fit in with Diss High School times (coming home 

only); We have not used the bus but may later this year; Bus service timings do not connect with train 

timings and no buses go to Diss railway station; Dwelling is 2 miles from the nearest bus stop; I would like 

the bus to connect with the Norwich commuter train or a daily bus to Norwich from the village; More 

services required; Botesdale - Stowmarket - Ipswich. Daily or Connecting services for existing routes; No 

direct access to Thetford; Bury service - too long. Norwich service - have to pick up at Diss. No service to 

Bury Saturday night or Sunday for cinema etc.; Satisfied; If the timetables were more extensive we would 

both be much more inclined to take the bus - unfortunately times at the moment are not convenient for start 

of work. 

Q33 Do you consider there are danger spots in the Villages, and if so where are they? And to what 

do they cause danger, children, pedestrians or vehicles? 

This question produced the most comment of all, and so to try to structure to the responses we have chosen 

some topic groupings. 

Junction from by-pass to Rickinghall 

Rickinghall end should have a slip road from the A143 - there is ample space. At the moment both exits are 

very dangerous for different reasons; Nowhere to allow following cars (from Wattisfield) to go by while you 



slow down; The exits at both ends of the village. Snape Hill left turn into Rickinghall, extremely dangerous. 

Diabolical planning, needs splayed run off to prevent death or injury to users. Entrance from A143 to village 

at Bury end; Access to and from the A143; The turn off into Rickinghall from Bury and from Diss. There is 

not enough distance allowed for turning off. Cars behind are nearly inside the car - then overtake - there 

will be an accident before too long. A 143 - Snape Hill; The turn off from the A143 to Rickinghall is a very 

sharp left. Having come over the brow of the hill, other people increase their speed but we slow down in 

preparation for the sudden turn. Entrance (West) to Rickinghall from bypass - a slip road is needed- danger 

to vehicles. Access to villages from Bury St Edmunds to Diss road; Access to villages from Bury St 

Edmunds. Turn into Rickinghall from A143 too sharp; Yes - bypass turn into Rickinghall very dangerous; 

Gants hill turn from BSE A132 into village-extremely dangerous turn in icy conditions, and in fog I have 

missed it altogether; Need slip road from by pass into village (2); 

Junction of Redgrave Road and Diss Road 

Botesdale end should have a roundabout. Poor visibility and awkward road markings. Botesdale to Redgrave / 

Diss junction. Diabolical planning. Extremely dangerous to all users. Should be returned to original (prior to 

the by-pass); Redgrave Road with Botesdale Junction would be better with a mini-roundabout; The Street 

Rickinghall and Junction with Redgrave Rd - extremely dangerous for children, pedestrians & vehicles; At 

the Botesdale end going on to the road to Redgrave also seems very chancy; Junction near Round House 

can't see coming from Redgrave - BUT don't chop the trees down (2); Turning to Redgrave for vehicles; 

Speeding vehicles 

Yes, at each end of the villages cars speed up, especially at Rickinghall end; The whole length of the 30mph 

main street (Old Bury Road) of both villages. Speeding motor cars endanger children and pedestrians; 

Entering Rickinghall on first entrance from A143, (by Briar Lodge), traffic enters village by 'The Cottage' at 

well over 30 mph; The danger is too many speeding motorists most of which don't know the highway code. 

The 30 limit on Hinderclay Road should be moved beyond East Lodge. Cars should drive slower through the 

village. Vehicles speeding along the Street, endangering children and pedestrians; Speeding traffic; 

New road layouts designed for traffic calming after by-pass was opened 

New road layout especially at brow of hill in village and other spots where kerbs jut out and road becomes 

narrow. These don't reduce speeds but just cause hazards; Since the main street was changed a few years 

ago the road is much more dangerous for children and vehicles; The village "enhancement" after the bypass 

has caused many problems; The lay-bys added have made the road too narrow in places, not enough room for 

parked car in lay-by and pass traffic in both directions; The Street narrows causing near misses. Protruding 

pavement at end of Gardenhouse Lane; The traffic calming method of narrowing the road at particular spots 

in the village. Especially by Walsingham Mews, the road is far too narrow for passing traffic and traffic 

trying to turn; Entrance to Garden House Lane - Pavement on West side intrudes too far into The Street, 

this coupled with parking opposite G.H. Lane entrance causes a bottleneck effect - danger to vehicles and 

pedestrians. 

Car Parking 

The main hazard is parking around the narrow parts of the street and junctions; Also The Street is a 

nightmare to drive through and we avoid it at all costs. Parking both sides should be restricted to one side 

or the other; Cars parked on The Street cause slalom manoeuvres along the length of The Street, which 

could potentially inflict danger on pedestrians and vehicles; People who park on road outside Co-op making 

the narrowing road on the brow of the hill very hazardous; Also parking of vehicles at Back Hills and Rose 

Lane during school hours (2); 



School 

The terrible congestion outside the Botesdale village hall when parents are taking & picking up children to 

and from school. They cause danger to children and traffic; Outside Botesdale Village Hall at school pickup 

times there is much danger to pedestrians and vehicles due to sheer number of vehicles trying to park; 

School parking is bad; School environs; 

Health Centre, Back Hills 

Just passed back of school - Back Hills cars speed round the bend; Back Hills-no pavement in some sections, 

for safety of pedestrians and school children; Indiscriminate parking outside the Health Centre in Back 

Hills on verges and pavement; 

Rectory Hill 

There is a very real danger to pedestrians walking down Rectory Hill. At the junction with The Street the 

road beside Brecklaw has blocks the width of a pavement. This leads people to believe that it is a pavement, 

but on reaching the corner are confronted head-on with traffic turning up Rectory Hill from The Street - 

often at speed and close to the corner of the building. This corner could be made safer by remarking the 

turning point for Rectory Hill from The Street. 

Brow of Hill at Co-operative Store, Post Office 

Narrow road top of hill near Co-op; Narrow road near top of hill near Co-op; Brow of hill near Co-op too 

narrow (2); Outside village Post Office and Newsagent - pedestrians and vehicles; 

Crown Hill 

Parking of vehicles down the hill by the Chapel of Ease. It makes it impossible to see from the adjoining road 

to get out to The Street. 

Other specific hazards 

Exit from Water Lane. Corner of Bury Road and Water Lane. Cars cut the corner. Danger to pedestrians; 

Brow hill by Co-op store. Road too narrow and too many parked. There is a potential danger when Mr 

Deakin's land is developed and the new entrance is located at the brow of the hill. Danger to both vehicles 

and pedestrians; Too narrow before White Horse (2); 

Dangers to pedestrians throughout village caused by traffic travelling at excessive speed; More care 

needed by car drivers leaving The Drift at the junctions to the Health Centre; Vehicles parked outside the 

Chapel of Ease makes the road a single lane of traffic; Vehicle parked by newsagents no care taken for 

others. Also Co-op; Botesdale High Street - Excessive speeds by motor vehicles - danger to pedestrians; 

Parking outside surgery and school danger to children and elderly; Junction at Bury end of by-pass when 

entering - danger of slowing traffic being hit ! Many near misses, only waiting for a bad accident. Parking 

outside Surgery and School danger to children and elderly; Junction at Bury end of by-pass when entering, 

danger of slowing traffic being hit; Junction of A140 and Bury Rd Rickinghall needs a deceleration lane; 1. 

Back Hills, Botesdale. Frequently used for children to and from school. A footpath would be a useful means 

of alleviating danger to pedestrians. 2. The junction of A143 and Bury Rd, Rickinghall badly needs a 

deceleration lane; Back Hills, frequently used by children, a footpath would alleviate danger; Back Hills - 

speeding from the lake to the school/health centre; Corner of Street and Park View; children crossing to 

school; Vehicles parking in the main street and narrowing of same; Hinderclay Road/ The Street junction 

and first exit from A143 from BSE - danger to vehicles; T junction leaving Botesdale towards Diss. When 

coming from Redgrave to turn into Botesdale is dangerous. Also road narrowing near Walsingham Mews as 



people park all along there; Parked cars along street. Alterations to paths past White Horse dangerous for 

cyclists; Car parking in Street: halt sign at Garden house Lane; Speeding on Hinderclay Road. Pedestrians 

walking to the post box towards Hinderclay have no footpath; Raised pavements and kerbs; Cars parked in 

streets on pavements; Garden house lane corner. Entry into Rickinghall off Bury-Diss main road. Entry 

into Botesdale from Redgrave; The vehicular exit from A143 to Rickinghall at western end of villages - 

dangerous to traffic. Speeding in Back Hills - to children; Overnight parking; Junction Redgrave Rd/Diss 

Rd - cyclist, vehicles, pedestrians. Back Hills - narrow no footpath - pedestrians. Back Hills/Redgrave 

vehicles. Back Hills/Fen lane - cyclists & pedestrians. Parked cars outside shops - vehicles and pedestrians. 

Diss Road/Redgrave Rd junction, endangering vehicles; Diss Road Redgrave junction. Roundhouse/B1113 

junction; Eastern junction of the Street with B1113; danger to vehicles in both directions. Junction badly 

planned at Diss end of village causing Redgrave people to use Back Hills & Drift (keep the trees, move the 

road); Drift - very dangerous- especially for children - any pedestrian. Chapel lane - The Street by chapel 

very dangerous - ought to have a zebra crossing!! Simonds coaches use of Chapel Lane/Mill Road has 

increased considerably and they should have a new sole route in and out; Main street has cars parked on 

both sides - dangerous for pedestrians; Leaving the A143 from Bury, a slip road is essential; The cross 

roads Chapel La/Diss Rd/Street /Drift, particularly at school starting and leaving times. Danger to 

pedestrians and small children. Diss Rd/Street all due to car/van traffic ignoring speed restriction; 

Bridewell Lane; danger to pedestrians and wheeled vehicles; Ridiculous junction by the Round House is 

dangerous to traffic turning right into Botesdale from Redgrave; Roads too narrow and pavement surface is 

terrible; Botesdale where the pavement juts out into the road; By Botesdale village hall when children are 

being picked up from school. 

Botesdale/Redgrave junction; Bypass junction at Rickinghall end. Road at War Memorial where children run 

over the road. Cars parked near Garden House Lane junction - blind bend danger to cars and pedestrians 

junction at Roundhouse – Botesdale; Bus park behind garage - danger to passers by. Access to Botesdale 

Village Hall for pedestrians going to school, other alternative, The Drift, is too narrow; Top of the hill near 

Post Office - Pedestrians and vehicles; Hill top near Co-op - narrows without any warning signs, very 

dangerous when buses/coaches reach this spot. The junction of the Drift near the Health Centre. 

Co-op outside the front. Everywhere that the road has been narrowed; At all places where the street was 

narrowed under the guise of "improvements" post by -pass, especially Garden House Lane with the Street, 

and outside the Chapel of Ease. The Street is the B1113 and is a legitimate route for buses and commercial 

traffic through; Enforce all vehicles to park off the road if they have an access. To enforce all vehicles 

(that cannot do this) to park in the correct direction of the highway as per the Highway Code. 

The road at the turn to Redgrave for traffic turning from Redgrave. I think it would be a good idea to have a 

turning off lane into Rickinghall from the A143; Junction A143 at Snape Hill - it should have a slip road on 

approach from BSE. Botesdale Junction near Roundhouse - It should be put back to it's original orientation 

(not cut down trees). Parking of vehicles at junction of Garden House Lane also in front of the Co-Op - 

danger to everyone; On the hill coming down to the Chinese and at the top of the hill from the post office 

to the Co op. Cause danger to vehicles parked & oncoming and children crossing behind parked vehicles in 

constricted areas; Cars parked outside the Co op block the view of the exiting car park. Dangerous junction 

at East end of Botesdale which would be safer with a mini roundabout. Where the Street narrows at the 

brow of the hill by the PO. At times in winter the sun shines directly into the eyes of drivers going west up 

the hill. This blinding effect has already been a contributory cause to an accident and was clearly not 

considered by the idiot who thought to make the road narrow on the brow of the hill; Cars come round the 

corner of the Craft Shop at the bottom of Rectory Hill too fast; Road junction top end of Botesdale 

Redgrave road. Don't cut down trees. Put a mini roundabout in; Lower end of Rectory Hill paved to look like a 

path but isn't; Top end of Botesdale where priorities changed – vehicles; No deceleration lane coming off 

bypass at Snape Hill; Cars parked continuously on both sides of the street and sometimes blocking the path; 

Junction with A143 at Rectory Hill; Junction at Botesdale with Redgrave cross roads at Park View Chapel / 

Park View junction; Roadside parking, in particular Rickinghall, The Street / Garden House lane area and 

Botesdale main road outside village hall entrance (at school times). In both cases vehicles are in danger. 

Pedestrian risks a) Gravel surfaced footpaths-risk to children falling over; b) Pots on pavements - 



risk to all especially partially sighted, particularly when containing prickly plants; The right hand turn into 

Botesdale from Redgrave has virtually no view of on-coming traffic; Parking cars; There are many cars that 

have to park on side of road near St Botolphs School its dangerous for walking children; Car parking in 

Village Street; The turning into Botesdale from the Redgrave road near the Roundhouse is dangerous for 

vehicles. The top of the hill near the Post Office and the end of Garden House Lane where the kerb sticks 

out are dangerous for vehicles; Parking outside the Co-op causes danger to overtaking vehicles; Junction at 

South end of Rickinghall with A143 – vehicles; Narrow section at brow of hill outside Homestead, especially 

with new developments on both sides - pedestrians, vehicles. Mill Rd at children's playground entrance. 

Protruding pavements at Gardenhouse lane junction with street. Danger to children & vehicles; Protruding 

pavement at Chapel Lane, Street junction; Excessive traffic (buses) using Mill Road North; Street junction. 

Botesdale Post office road narrowing at crown of hill; Protruding pavements at Gardenhouse Lane junction 

with The Street; Danger to children and vehicles; Mill Road North junction with street; Cross the A143 

from Mill Road North to South – vehicles; Turning into Botesdale, The Street, from Redgrave direction, 

dangerous to vehicles, and pedestrians crossing; Until corner of Mill Road where path ends; The 30 mile/hr 

limit is very rarely adhered to; Yes all the post bypass improvements except top of Bell Hill & especially 

Crown hill (Take Away Chinese) they should be reversed; Hinderclay/Rectory Hill staggered cross roads. 

Traffic tries to clip wall of Brecklaw crafts and leaves no space for pedestrians. The Bury road junction 

needs a Stop sign. Kerb outside Walsingham Mews needs the paint markings renewed. 30mph limit on 

Hinderclay Rd is four houses too late - needs to be beyond East Lodge; Cars/van parked on the junction of 

Rectory Hill & The Street no visibility of traffic coming from Botesdale; Cars parked through the village 

particularly adjacent to build outs and Gardenhouse Lane junction; Cars/van parked at junction of Rectory 

Hill & The Street no visibility of traffic coming from Botesdale; Cars treating back lanes like racing 

tracks; Junction of the Street and Hinderclay road no respect for speed restrictions several times a day 

there are loud screeches of brakes and tyres etc. 

Cars parked outside Co op on road danger to all. Cars parked all way up The Street on both sides of the road 

danger to all; The Street speed chicanes are a danger to cyclists (and Motorists); Gardenhouse Lane 

junction turning left too narrow could cause an accident; There is urgent need for a slip road on the 

Wattisfield end of the by pass so that traffic wishing to turn into Rickinghall does not cause following 

traffic to cross existing double lines, to avoid braking. Has an accident to occur before such a slip road is 

provided? Several lay-bys have been surfaced so cost should not be a problem; Garden House Lane turning 

into The Street is dangerous for vehicles, but the parking has increased along The Street which causes 

problems for motorists and pedestrians. Crossing with little children isn't easy; Too many cars parked in 

The Street now it is narrower. 30 mph limit moved towards Hinderclay beyond The Lodge. 

Junction with Redgrave Road to A143 (Vehicles). Homestead top of hill poor visibility for pedestrians; From 

the Street in Mill Road to Chapel lane both areas are very dark and a danger to pedestrians; More lighting. 

1. Bridewell Lane from The Street to Chapel Lane. 2. From The Street in Mill Road to Chapel Lane. Both 

areas are very dark and a danger to pedestrians; Vehicles parked at the Post office cause obstruction and 

block 2-way vision at the end of Warren Lane; Entering Bridewell lane from Main street by vehicle you could 

face anything from pedestrians, elderly, vehicles dogs. You're restricted by the width. The crossing of the 

bypass from Rickinghall to the Stowmarket Rd; Top of the hill near the post office and everywhere they 

narrowed the roads. The narrowed roads are a danger to everyone, especially on a dark wet evening. Even 

driving under the speed limit some drivers have difficulty. Not an effective control measure; The junction 

on the sharp bend entering the village; it was far better when it was a tee junction; Main road junction 

Rickinghall end. 

Entering Rickinghall from A143 in a car; need to slow down to turn and cars behind have to brake hard; 

Parked vehicles in main street. Vehicles speeding, particularly at weekends; Either end of village outlets; 

Junction at village entrance by Round house. It is an accident waiting to happen. A death will occur before 

something is done. Where pavements jut into road in an effort to slow traffic at:- Park View Chapel location, 

post office location, Garden House Lane location; Botesdale playing field: cars speed past and children run 

out of little gate because it doesn't have a catch. We need double yellow lines outside Co-op: people 

obstruct road by parking outside; Drift road access to doctors and school no footpaths; Co-op people 



parking on road outside entrance; Entrance to Rectory Hill and Rickinghall from A143 need filter lanes. 

Speeding motorists. Bottom of Rectory Hill needs footpath around corner. 

Kerbs are too high at Walsingham Mews; Too many cars now parked on the road. Danger to all of the above 

(means children, pedestrians, vehicles); The main danger spots are caused by severe on-road parking, 

especially near the chip shop and Chinese. Lately this has been on both sides of the street; A143 bypass 

exit from BSE. Also traffic calming near Co-op; Too much roadside parking: danger to all above categories; 

Outside the chip shop Chinese and co-op are danger to all categories; Cars parking outside properties in 

Ryders Way; Cars parking on corner near Breckland Crafts; Cars parked on the side of the road throughout 

the village are a danger to children crossing and other vehicles. Cars parked on both sides of the road at 

the Chinese cause lots of congestion. 

Private parking on Hinderclay Rd on a bend just up from the church after first left hand turn (dangerous to 

park on a bend); The dangerous road is when turning off main road from Wattisfield into Rickinghall. There 

will be an accident here before long but as usual nothing will get done! Two way traffic on roads by school 

danger to children & pedestrians; Outside the chip shop & Chinese takeaway when it's busy & many cars are 

parked along the street Vehicles, The new junction at Redgrave / Botesdale turning; From Bypass into 

village Rickinghall end - needs a slip road - run up and out too quick; Cars are parked in the road outside the 

Rickinghall Co-op while their owners are inside shopping cause an obstruction to cars leaving the car park and 

vehicles travelling past the Co-op; Obstruction is caused unnecessarily by any car parked on the road & not 

in one of the roadside lay-bys; No danger spots; Junction to Redgrave has POOR visibility, and will cause a 

serious accident. Parked cars opposite Garden House lane, making busy junction dangerous to turn into. 3. 

Parked cars along Ryders Way / on pavements are causing a danger to children and pedestrians. (Road is 

reduced to single track). 

Outside the Co-op when vehicles are parked on side of road ( have one witness to accident); Outside chip 

shop and Chinese - narrow passage. Outside craft shop opposite church. Blind spot when cars park near 

junction; Vehicles at junction of A143 - B1113. Strangers absolutely bewildered; Street parking and 

junction of A143 at Snape Hill; Turning off A143 from Bury St Edmunds into Rickinghall; Entry from A143 

to village at western end. Fast traffic overtakes - oncoming trying to turn; Lay-bys outside Post office not 

quite wide enough - parked cars encroach slightly onto highway; The need for a lead into the village from 

Bury. The turn in is too sharp for the fast moving traffic; These danger points (Redgrave. Botesdale turn 

and Rickinghall from A143 turn) are worse at night; The turn into Botesdale from Redgrave is obscured by 

trees. Need to remove at least two trees. 

Parking on the street especially outside Newsagents when people park on Newsagent's side of street when 

there is parking off road opposite! Lack of pathway from Market Square up to school; Junction at Botesdale 

end where road out of Botesdale meets the road from the bypass to Redgrave on 90deg bend; Parking area 

outside fish & chip shop and Chinese take-away; Entrance to Rickinghall from Bypass - corner too tight need 

to brake hard / slow down on bypass before approaching corner; Backhills - road from school to 

Hairdressers in village centre - no paths, cars drive too fast hazard to parents walking with children; On 

street parking on main street through villages. Children playing on roads on the estates - I don't allow the 

children out after dark; B113 junction: Crossing, visibility, Fast moving vehicles Danger to all; Co-op; High 

school (Primary); Do not know of any; Cars parking on road - mainly outside the Co-op; Pavement which 

sticks out at Walsingham Mews, with cars parked opposite, the road is too narrow. Some non-locals swerve 

out into road at the last minute when coming from Diss; Entrance by-pass Bury end; should have a 

deceleration for turn into villages from Bury direction -(invite other vehicles to pull into middle of the road); 

not impressed by narrowing of road on the brow of the hill near post Office though I recognise the need for 

pavements. 

Youths drive through the village too fast; Speeding generally down the high street. Abuse from young girls 

to me personally; Approaches to the Post Office. Danger to all three; On the by-pass trying to get across 

from B1113 to village side of by-pass; Parked cars problems to all users of the highway; People driving too 

quickly causes danger. Speed limits must be enforced; Road narrowing at Maypole Meadow; Cars drive too 

fast through the village; Parking outside Co-op, chip shop and war memorial; Cars parked in narrow part of 

The Street; Some junctions off the by-pass into the village are not safely laid out; The Drift, cars 



attending the Health Centre and delivering and collecting children from School too fast and this road should 

be made one-way. There is no footpath for those who walk to the School/Doctors. 

By-pass at top of Rectory Hill dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. In need of an £83,000 underpass 

built for one horse under by-pass towards Botesdale; Bury Road, Rickinghall – Speeding; Lack of white lines 

can cause problems when driving at night - especially since the traffic calming was added to the village; 

Near the White Horse Pub where the road narrows; Not lived here long enough to form an opinion; The 

road from A143 to Rickinghall (north) - danger to vehicles; Junction of Back Hills and the Drift - danger to 

children and pedestrians; The junction of the Drift and Back Hill is a danger to vehicles; The road crossing 

at Botesdale Market Place ? Zebra crossing? The turning to Redgrave; The brow of the hill near the Co-op 

where people persist in parking on the road and not in the car park. Idiot in blue BMW M3 who daily speeds 

through the village. 

Redgrave/Botesdale junction when approached from Redgrave; Speeding motorists at Walsingham Mews and 

Rickinghall Common; Outside the co-op; danger to everyone. The straight stretch from Jubilee House and 

the 30 limit; very high traffic speeds. The village entrance junction A143/Snape Hill needs a braking lane; 

Deceleration lane needed at end of village at A143 junction. Some of the jutting out kerbs in the village 

Street are dangerous, especially in the dark; The Garden House Lane/Walsingham Mews are risky for cars 

and pedestrians and children by virtue of the congestion caused by parked cars; unilateral parking should be 

enforced. The jutting-out kerb is a danger. At the Co-op cars should not park in the road. The bypass 

crossing at Briar lane is dangerous. There is not enough street lighting near the Chestnuts. 

First access road off bypass into Rickinghall (Snape Hill); Leaving Botesdale road given priority to Redgrave 

coming in from A143; Parking by parents of schoolchildren by Botesdale Village Hall; Parking on the 

pavement in from of the White Horse PH is a danger to pedestrians, especially wheel and push chairs; 

Parking outside the Co-op. Excessive parking at the PO, especially on the hill; On the stretch of road from 

Garden House Lane to end of village to curb excessive speeding; The whole of The Street - People drive too 

fast - Danger to children and pedestrians. Also lack of pavement on Cherry Tree Road Danger to 

pedestrians; Junction of A143 into The Street cars following often end up to close - need a slip road; Our 

children have lived without incident … so far; The Street - Garden House Lane exit/entrance from The 

Street is dangerous as curb extends too far into The Street causing a narrowing of the Rickinghall junction 

with A143 & cross road; Street parking throughout The Street and parking on the road outside the Co-op. 

I think the narrowing of the highway as you come down the hill passed the Chapel of Ease is a hazard 

especially as so many cars park along the road. Also the same comment applies to the narrowing by 

Walsingham Mews; Junction The Street / Gardenhouse Lane. Parking of cars in fish shop area. Rectory 

Hill - The Chestnuts - Speeding area; At the Botesdale to Redgrave junction turn off. At the junction on 

the bypass into Rickinghall from Wattisfield Snape Hill; Entrances into village on roads. Speed of traffic 

along The Street; The whole main street seems quite dangerous mainly because many people drive much too 

fast; Cars parked on narrow parts of the High Street can only just get your own vehicle through in places; 

Cars parked on road outside Fish & Chip shop, Chinese takeaway and pubs danger to pedestrians and vehicles; 

Parked cars on the High Street could be a danger for children and pedestrians; Parking at Junctions - Cars 

parked half on pavement half on road causes mothers & children & elderly to wander on road. (Particularly 

Gardenhouse Lane), vehicles parked within 15 metres of a junction are committing an offence. Parking 

outside Co-op - brow of the hill restricts view of oncoming vehicles. Snape Hill junction with A143 - Greater 

protection for vehicles turning right into the village. 

Between the Coop and Post Office the road is narrowed at one point coming over the hill you often have little 

time to see oncoming traffic - danger of collision. Coming from Redgrave turning into Botesdale junction is 

dangerous as you cannot see clearly traffic; There should be restrictions on the speed and also signs (Play 

Area and Elderly Peoples Homes)on the Hinderclay Rd and entrance to the Village Hall car park. This has 

been requested in the past but nothing has been done about it. Main road through the villages cars/lorries 

speeding. The Bury to Diss bypass coming from Bury the turn off to the village why not a slip-road. Brow of 

the hill near Post Office. As a driver of a large vehicle I am often forced onto the path by aggressive 

drivers as the road is narrow. Number of cars parked in the street, especially opposite junctions. Danger to 


other road users and pedestrians. 


Entrance to Rickinghall off By-pass & Cars parking in the Street is danger to all; Garden House Lane is 

dangerous and needs resurfacing; Entry into village off main BSE road. There should be a slowing down slip 

road/lane; The danger is all the cars parked on the side of the road in case a child runs out in between 

them; Bottom of Gardenhouse Lane too many cars parked on side of road. Cars still parking outside Co-op. 

At the end of Botesdale village when you turn in from Redgrave the visibility is bad . Outside of school too 

many cars parked on side road; Cars pulling out of the Coop and parking outside on the path; No path to 

Health Centre down the Drift; Speeding vehicles through the village; Why not have a mini roundabout from 

Redgrave to Botesdale - it would cut out the danger of the trees; The round house junction as you come in 

from Redgrave when the leaves are on the chestnut trees; Main road crossing from Chapel Lane to the 

Drift. Danger to children going to school; Need for slip road onto A143 bypass to Rickinghall & Buses using 

road past playing fields in Botesdale dangerous as too narrow. 

There should be a path from the playfield along Park View to the main road, and then along The Drift and 

round to the health centre and school; Junction at Roundhouse. Parking all down the street. Kerbs at 

Walsingham Mews; Chapel Lane and Park View should be one way only; I don't think cars should be allowed 

to stay on the side of the road other than a lay-by for visitors; Junction off by pass into Rickinghall from 

Bury needs a slip road as you have to slow down so much; School front & back; Speeding vehicles through 

The Street especially between 6.30am and 9.30am and 4.00 to 6.30pm; Turning out onto the bypass from 

Rickinghall/Snape Hill is dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles.; Southern junction to bypass, danger to 

vehicles entering from Bury; 30mph or bumps in road necessary for Parkview; School and elderly persons' 

crossing at Parkview chapel; Manned crossing at Botesdale VH; A143 exit to Rickinghall needs a 

deceleration lane. Speeding cars through both villages. Back Hills - a short cut from Redgrave Road; 

Walsingham Mews is a bottle neck and needs widening or a sign saying 'Road Narrows'; Crossing the bypass 

on foot; joining and leaving the bypass by car. 

Top of Botesdale turn to Diss and Redgrave; Junction at Botesdale/Redgrave Road (Round House) - danger 

to vehicles and drivers; The slip road from the A 143 at the South end of the village is downhill on an 

adverse camber - a danger to anything and everything; Brow of the hill at PO caused by careless parking. 

Road junction Diss / Redgrave / Botesdale. Congestion around school area morning and afternoon; Road too 

narrow on hill between Post Office and Co-op. Botesdale - Redgrave Rd junction; The speed of cars through 

the village; Parking outside Coop, Paper-shop and Post Office. They cause danger when trying to pass in a 

vehicle also pedestrians crossing the road; Parking in The Street especially opposite Walsingham Mews flats. 

The road was made narrow; Leaving playing field (Botesdale) onto narrow road - 30 mph- but no one ever 

seems to keep to the speed limit a path would be safer; Through the whole of the main street in Botesdale 

too fast; Exit from village junction with Redgrave Road; Junction at west end of Rickinghall with A 143 with 

vehicles trying to turn into the village whilst other vehicles speed past. Speeding cars especially through 

The Street/Market Place. They are possible dangers to everyone; Mill Rd/The Street Botesdale - major 

problem - turning point as roundabout The Street/Redgrave Rd - poorly designed. Both are a danger to 

everyone that uses them; Deceleration lane needed at junction by-pass and Rickinghall; 1st left into 

Rickinghall from A 143. Danger to vehicles on the corner is tight and speed needs to be reduced 

considerably; Vehicles allowed to park on the main road too close to drive entrances, obstructing views and 

therefore an accident hazard. 

Mill Road and The Street junction. Hill near to Co-op; Junction with Hall Lane, Redgrave - poor visibility 

especially turning right into village; Turning into Botesdale from Redgrave on the B1113 is very dangerous. 

Blind turn for vehicles - a mirror would help; Botesdale/Redgrave road junction. Rickinghall/A143 road 

junction - exit slip road required; Road narrowing at Garden House Lane dangerous to vehicles. A143 

junction into Rickinghall - an accident waiting to happen; Botesdale/Redgrave corner in need of a 

roundabout; Parking along The Street causes danger to children and pedestrians - outside fish and chip shop 

and Chinese take-away; Slaughter of cats in the Street. Loony drivers at night; To the entrance of 

Botesdale from Rickinghall there always seems to be congestion and not enough room to pass clearly; The 

road outside/near Simonds garage. Large amount of buses, lorries/vans/cars associated with garage park 

here. It hinders views/obstructs and is dangerous when children are waiting on the pavements. Also speeding 



traffic - mainly youths in fast cars; School car park is dangerous; cordoned off walkway at minimum. Nearly 

accident with youngest child; mentioned to head teacher; seemed disinterested. 

The Crown Hill/Market Place area is too busy for the speed people drive and the area near the Co-op is often 

congested; The kerb at Garden House Lane/Walsingham Mews is too high and juts out into the road; The 

junction onto the bypass at the BSE end of Rickinghall village; Hinderclay Rd junction onto The Street. Main 

road junction Rickinghall south needs a roundabout to reduce risk both on entry and exit; Lack of footways, 

or very narrow for children; Exit from A143 at Bury end of Rickinghall: cars parked in dimly lit streets in 

Rickinghall; Traffic calming measures - not based on risk - difficult to justify and have created a greater 

hazard; Village street calming measures have had the reverse effect and caused danger to vehicles; Traffic 

control measures for children and pedestrians and vehicles; At the entry to the village from Redgrave and 

the bend in the kerb and wide kerb at Garden House Lane; Staggered junction to Briar Lane crossing the 

A143. Parking near the entrance to Botesdale VH car park at school leaving times is a danger to everyone 

and limits visibility of car park users. Different road widths within the village. 

Parking outside paper shop instead of in parking bays opposite. Exit from A143 into Rickinghall at 

Wattisfield end of village. Cars parked between The Bell and the White Horse on the side of the road, 

danger to vehicles, cyclists and people; Cars should not be allowed to stand in the Street; Too many cars 

parked on the roads day and night making driving difficult; Too many cars parked on the roads day and night 

making driving difficult; School, crossing at Botesdale Village Hall. Children/pedestrians; Turning off Bypass 

into Rickinghall Village; Extended pavement at the bottom of Garden House Lane is dangerous to 

vehicles on the main street; Parked cars at the side's of the road going through the villages; The Drift, 

Now dangerous to people who live there; Entry to Rickinghall on A143 from South. Too much traffic along 

the Drift, now a major Lane!; Cars parking in the Street, double parking, parking at bottom Garden House 

Lane, very dangerous, Cars parking outside the Co-op so you cannot see when coming out of the car-park. 

At the junction where Fen Lane meets the Street, the Botesdale sign near the War Memorial restricts the 

view of car drivers entering the Street, (when drivers look left to check traffic coming down the hill); 

Parking outside the Chinese, Fish shop, & Newsagents; Exit for people leaving new development off Bridewell 

Lane, Down steps on to the Road where it narrows, danger to children; Rickinghall end, exit from the by 

pass; The area outside the Co-op proves tricky on occasions as people often park on restricted zone outside 

the shop obscuring view when leaving and entering the car park; Driving too fast in the Street. Bad parking 

near the Co-op and further on up the road; The junction at the top of the hill by the Priory - very hard to 

see past parked cars on the hill; Not lived here long enough to know; Desperate need for a footpath at 

Backhills for School and Health Centre 

By pass junction coming into village from Bury St Edmunds - Danger to passengers in vehicles; Coming into 

Botesdale from bypass, Wattisfield end, is dangerous as vehicles speed up and are right on your back; The 

narrowing of the carriageway is a hazard e.g. at the Post Office brow of the hill and the unmarked 

projection at the entrance to Wheatfields is positively lethal. Needs double yellow lines to restrict parking; 

Rickinghall main street turning up to Rectory Hill. Botesdale turning from Redgrave; Village entrance (Bury 

end) needs a slip road BEFORE there is a fatal accident; Bridewell Lane junction onto main road in village 

danger to all above; Slip Road needed on entry to Rickinghall off the bypass from Bury. There are at least 

three very dangerous sections in the village caused by parked cars following the so called improvements. 

Outside Coop - Everyone. Parking on road and paths - Everyone. Outside School - Everyone but mainly 

children. Backhills - Pedestrians. Outside Botesdale Village Hall - Vehicles at school times. 

Outside Botesdale Village Hall beginning and end of school day; Crown Hill Near Chapel of Ease; Junction 

near Round House – visibility; Walsingham Mews too many parked cars; Danger in general to motorists & 

pedestrians; Double parking. Top of village exit to Redgrave or Diss; Proper roundabout on entry to village 

at the Redgrave end; Vehicles parked near Post Office near brow of the hill and outside Co-op; A danger 

spot is at the Warren junction on B1113. Perhaps a mini roundabout would make it safer for vehicles 

travelling between Botesdale/ Redgrave / Bypass; Access to and from the A143; Walking back and forwards 

to school is quite a problem, although we're encouraged to walk with our children, I'm not sure what's worse 

walking or driving with such a large amount of children walking through the village at one time I‘m not sure 



what the answer is; Entrance to Rickinghall from bypass. 

Village entrance @ Rickinghall - too narrow. e.g. car versus cyclist; Protruding pavements danger to vehicles; 

Corner of The Drift & Back Hills - Blind corner; Access to school and Health Centre via The Drift no 

pavements; not really wide enough for 2-way traffic - both ends blind corners; traffic far too fast for road 

types. Causes danger to anyone wishing to walk and other vehicles. Lollipop person or pelican crossing near 

Botesdale village hall - More children would walk to school. Less car congestion. Why can't a stop be put to 

heavy lorries using the village streets as rat runs ? I have followed them from Redgrave to the Hinderclay 

Rd and from Rose Lane to Redgrave. There is no enforcement of speed limits; or pavement parking. 

Q34 

Would you support the following traffic control measures in the Villages? 

Please describe where you would like any new traffic measures introduced. 

Speed limits 

Would like to see 30mph from beginning of Bury Road where it meets A143, then 20mph from entrance of 

village, with large signage on road. Lower speed limit around the school and Botesdale Village Hall. Speed 30 

mph from bypass at both ends of the villages. Speed 20 mph in Rickinghall Street; Light up sign indicating 

"Slow down 30 mph" on entering village as in Great Barton. Embarrassment factor is great / effective; 

Extend 30 mph limit to bypass at western end; Lower speeds throughout the villages. Signs depicting speed 

cameras at every junction / approach to twin villages (at small cost). Enforce the speed limit on The Street 

and Bury Road. Extend the 30 limit on Hinderclay Road; Enforce speed restrictions particularly from 

Garden House Lane to the church. Place more speed restriction signs throughout the village - perhaps a 

flashing sign associated with a camera. Speed limits in The Drift, Back Hills and Rose Lane. By the school - 

slower speeds or enforced traffic calming. Electronic speed signs at either end of the village - As at South 

Lopham. 20 mph in Church Meadow. Lower speed limit from Co-op to Chapel of Ease. Extend speed limit on 

Redgrave Rd to brook from the lake. Lower speed limit near school, health centre and village halls. Flashing 

30 mph sign as at S Lopham or similar required. Extension of speed limit on B1113 towards Redgrave to 

include in limit the turning to Back Hills. Enforce speed signs from Botesdale to Rickinghall right through 

the Street. I think the flashing 30 mph signs such as at Gt. Barton & S Lopham are the most effective way 

to stop speeding traffic. At the cross roads on the A143 east of the Suffolk Barn, there should be a 40 

mph speed limit into Wattisfield where the Wattisfield sign board is located. Speed limit on A143 up Snape 

Hill / around junction with Bury Road. Speed limit / warning further South in Mill, Road. At bottom by 

church and Hinderclay Rd - lower limit. Chapel Lane from Mill road to become 20mph to protect pedestrians 

and residents of Farnish House. 20 MPH on all roads excluding main road through village. Around shops and 

both slopes on both sides (lower speed limit). Outside school - lower speed limit. Speed limit 20mph in 

village and 40mph on new Wattisfield to Wortham road, especially on crossing at Rectory Hill. Perhaps signs 

that flash a warning when approached at speed 1. Near Botesdale VH 2. Near White Horse PH. Speed limits 

on Wheatfields. Policeman and speed gun. 20 mph speed limit. Extend speed limit up Hinderclay Road and 

beyond Mayhews on Stowmarket Road. 30 mph limit is ample; speed is OK since by-pass. Lower speed limit 

through village. Lower speed limit around school. 

Traffic Calming 

Experience from living in large town, islands and sleeping policemen only increase noise and those you are 

trying to slow down are not deterred. Traffic calming near Botesdale Village Hall. No traffic calming; 

Choke points removed; Traffic calming at the entrances to the villages where speed is most likely to be 

excessive. Rumble strips periodically down The Street (old cobbles?) Traffic calming before corners. 

Traffic calming at village entrance. Speed reducing humps (large type to help bus movements) One in Bury 

Road, 3 in The Street (Rickinghall). One in Hinderclay Road. 3 in Botesdale (Main road). The Street 

Rickinghall (Traffic calming). Speed bumps, the chicanes just cause bottle necking, and people take chances. 

We already have traffic calming measures. These seem to cause more hazards than help. Traffic Calming - 

depending on type, along village street. Put bumps or yellow lines in the road at each end of the two villages. 

Traffic calming at the following:- junction of Gardenhouse Lane and the Street, Approach to the Co-op, 



Approach to the Post Office. Throughout the main street. Traffic calming by means of single carriageway 

and give way requirements would reduce the use of villages by road vehicles. Sleeping policemen in the Drift 

if road remains two way. Speed humps near the Old Post Office, Jubilee House and the Church. Main village 

road needs calming bumps at certain places. Would have been better than narrowing of the road in places 

which I think is more dangerous. Traffic calming the length of The Street. Traffic calming in side streets - 

not on main street. Cars slowing along The Street. Traffic calming around school and village hall area in 

Botesdale. Back Hills - traffic calming - road humps. The High Street - traffic calming - road humps. 

Traffic calming at beginning and end of Park View. 

Parking Restrictions 

Would wish to stop so much parking on the Street. But that would mean a car park - where? No parking on 

road or path outside Co-op. Stop cars parking on both sides of the road through village. Stop parking on 

corner outside Brecklaw Craft. Co-op - No parking on road. Outside chip shop to Co-op. Parking restricts / 

parking alternatives. Double yellow lines opposite road junctions in the main street. Enforce parking 

restrictions on the road through the village especially outside the Coop shop. Stop parking outside the Co-op 

and parking on the pavements near the chip shop. Limit parking of vehicles on the Street. 

Road Layout changes 

A slip road to aid the left turn from the A143 to Rickinghall. Provision of deceleration lane on A143 at 

western end of villages. The original road width should be re instated outside the Chapel of Ease. To 

restore priority at Redgrave / Botesdale turning to original. Chapel Lane from Mill road to become One Way. 

Mini roundabout at the Botesdale - Redgrave Rd junction. Footway needed in the Drift. Top end of 

Rickinghall Road going onto the A143 especially coming off the A143. It needs a slip road into Rickinghall. 

The road requires widening in places to enable two cars to pass safely avoiding parked cars. 

Road signs 

Children at play signs - Botesdale and Rickinghall playing areas; Enforce existing speed restrictions. 

Clarification of block paving please. In places it denotes parking areas, elsewhere it is on corners. Keep Clear 

signs by school or more access. Footpath crossings off the bypass should be marked and signed. White lines 

down street ie Rickinghall and Botesdale. Children at Play signs for Ryders Way. Yellow lines between 

Garden House lane and The Drift. Signs to highlight the danger of road narrowing by the Post office and 

the other end just past Gardenhouse Lane, ie known to locals but not to visitors of the danger, with the 

narrow pavement in this area. Children at play in Candle Street and other quieter areas. 30 mph signs IN 

the village itself. "Rickinghall Industrial Estate" signs to be placed on by-pass signs to show route to Allwood 

Green. This would avoid lorries entering the village believing the estate to be in the village. More Road 

Signs: Farnish house there are NO signs to show elderly crossing. 

Other comments 

Traffic measures adequate. School crossing; we used to have a lollipop lady. Access only during school 

arrival departure time - Back Hills. Perhaps down main street. Zebra crossings etc. Measures are needed to 

change drivers' attitudes; the law is clear. Happy with the current measures. Pedestrian crossing between 

the Coop and Post Office. Buses not using Mill Road past Pond Hall through to bypass. No point in having 

new restrictions until existing ones are enforced. Adequate at present. A more active approach to safety 

for pedestrians using Health Centre and School. 

The crossroads at the junction of the A143, Townhouse Road/Calkewood Lane lie in both parishes of 

Wattisfield and Rickinghall. The Wattisfield signboard at the East end is located in Rickinghall Inferior. 

This is a blind exit for cars leaving Calkewood Lane. Large Heavy Goods Vehicles go over the crossroads at 

speeds of 50-60mph. There are frequent near misses and regular accidents, it is only a matter of time 

before there is another fatal accident. The Slow Down signs are ignored, a 40 mph speed limit would make it 

significantly safer. Road problem : the artificial narrowing of the Street meant that any parked vehicles 

cause an obstruction at certain places. Road problem : the A143 turn into Rickinghall from west constitutes 

a traffic hazard with risk of serious "shunt" as no slip lane has been provided.(I know this is now subject of a 

separate survey, but the Parish Council should be concerned and lobby SCC - a fuller response might have 



been obtained if question was included in this appraisal. Road problem : parking in the Street - all parked 

vehicles should, at night, face direction of traffic flow. This is police enforceable but they do not 

bother/have time to address this problem. (Ref : Highway Code and Laws as published). 

Q35 How user-friendly are the pavements in the Villages to people with disabilities, pushchairs or 

wheelchairs? 

Pavement surfacing 

The loose chippings are very unsuitable for the above. Decision by Mid Suffolk to "gravel" the pavements in 

the villages proper was a complete waste of time and money. It needs to be done again. Gravel stones make 

it hard to push wheelchairs. Rick your ankles on footpaths. Get shoes full of stones. Bad for your feet. 

Stones on paths unsuitable. Raised pavements and kerbs. Loose shingle. Shingle makes pushing wheeled 

conveyances more difficult and treads into gardens and houses. Too much loose gravel. Gravel pathways and 

pavements are not good for toddlers falling over or for those just learning to ride a bike! The stoned 

surface in Botesdale is a disgrace. Rickinghall is OK. Shingle makes pavements difficult. Stones very unsafe. 

The loose pebble coverings can cause skidding. However as a pedestrian the shingled paths are not easy to 

walk on and are an eyesore. Gravel looks very nice but makes pushchair slightly harder. One word:- 

USELESS. They are a danger to the young and old with those silly stones. The stones hurt children if they 

fall, hold on to dog mess and are generally uncomfortable to walk on. Pebble dash is too thick in places. Poor 

quality, Bad for push chairs. Don't like red stone chippings. Loose pea-gravel surfacing unsuitable. Wrong 

surface, may look nice but not practical. Horrible gravel again. Since resurfacing, too many dips around 

manhole covers. The gravel pavements look nice but are not good for pushchairs or small children falling 

over. The pavement surface in Botesdale is ghastly - a total waste of money. The shingle pavements are a 

huge mistake - if I wanted to live on a pebble beach I'd move to Aldeburgh! New finish at road calming to be 

renewed - horrendous decision. Poor surfaces is in regard to the new shingle at centre of 

Rickinghall/Botesdale. The surface is rough and not easy for wheels or feet for that matter. Who in their 

right mind thought of putting stones on paths instead of tarmac? The shingle on the paths make it very 

difficult to push anything along. The shingle is terrible stuff for people with wheelchairs, push chairs and 

people with disabilities. Gravel type pavements are impractical and make walking anywhere in high heels 

impossible. Surface uncomfortable to walk on. Difficult to push buggies. I would imagine some are quite 

narrow and the stone chippings may make it difficult to wheel a pushchair or wheelchair. The pavements in 

Botesdale are very uncomfortable to walk on with loose pebbles. Pushing prams on pea shingle can be 

difficult but it does look good. The gravel surface is very unkind to the hands/knees of children should they 

fall: it is also carried into houses and should be phased out. The chippings are dreadful. The stones make it 

very hard to push pushchairs etc on the pavements. Be much better without loose stones. I think the loose 

chippings on the pavement are dangerous. They look very nice, & fit in well with the old houses. but it's quite 

skiddy my son has fallen on them and cut his head open. They are much better now they've settled a few 

years but I'm still not sure they are that safe. I've heard mixed opinions about the gravel paths in 

Botesdale, too slippy etc. 

Parking 

Cars parked on pavements are also quite a problem. Enforce ban on vehicle parking on pavements. Except 

when motor vehicles are parked over the pavements. How do you prevent vans and lorries parking on 

pavements? Pavements are reasonably user friendly as long as stupid people don't park their vehicles on 

them. Too many cars now park on the Street they never used to be there when it was a main road put in 

yellow lines to stop it in some. Not helped by people parking with two or more wheels on the pavement. Less 

parking in The Street Rickinghall. Cars parked along Rickinghall and Botesdale street on both sides causing 

danger for other moving vehicles and pedestrians. Cars still park on footpaths in village if footpaths are 

available. Stop vehicles parking on the pavements restricting passage. Footways are very narrow and the 

problem is compounded by car parking on the pavements. Car parking on the pavement should be stopped. 

General 

House steps protruding on to pavement are dangerous. Not knowledgeable enough to say. Some too narrow, 

some doorsteps obstruct and are not clearly painted. width good. Quite good for the most part - but not 



very wide. Poor around Farnish house where the elderly need to walk. Side roads e.g. the Drift, Chapel Lane 

have no pavements or protection for pedestrians & vehicles speed. I have no personal problems with the 

pavements. Could be wider in certain places. Some stretches of pavement could be wider. Too narrow in 

parts for pushchairs. Pavements are high, lowered areas do not always match up. High street poor - often 

narrow and double buggy often obstructed by door steps and planters. Insufficient 'dropped' kerbs. No 

footpath rear of Simonds Garage or to Health Centre (Drift). Footways very difficult to use with a double 

pushchair. Pavements needed in side roads, e.g. Back Hills, Cherry Tree Lane, Rose Lane, Fen Lane. Village 

too hilly. Don't know BUT in some areas there are NO pavements at all. 

Q36 

Would you like to see any of the following in the Villages? 

No yellow lines, No traffic islands, No roundabouts. What are environmentally friendly street lights? More 

lights in Water Lane. What is an "environmentally sensitive street light"? Western end of Rickinghall poorly 

lit. Dropped kerbs in general for pushchairs etc. Yellow lines outside Co-op. Yellow Lines: Particularly down 

Water Lane, which is narrow. Cars and vans continually park there, blocking the access to one's driveway and 

making it impossible for any of the emergency services to get down if required. The light pollution is ghastly 

- interferes with night hunting creatures (i.e. bats); people’s outside house lights drive the horses mad 

because they shine several hundred yards across the fields - horses cannot screen their eyes. Also torch 

light becomes ineffective. Cobbled rumble strips. Roundabout at the junction with Redgrave Road. Speed 

Bumps. Yellow lines outside the Co-op to prevent parking and restricting viewing when exiting from the Co op 

car park. Sleeping Policeman Rose Lane Back Hills. I would like to prevent vehicles parking on the footpath, 

either by barriers or stricter enforcement of the law. Under-grounding of telegraph cables as well as 

electrical cables. Yellow lines to stop lazy parents driving their kids to school then causing danger to people 

leaving their driveways by parking on the pavement. Better parking on main street, cars should be parked 

the correct way round particularly after dark. Better parking of vehicles on the Street and enforcement of 

cars to be parked the right way round particularly at night. Widen road through the village back to prebypass 

width so that you can actually drive through without having to stop half a dozen times especially 

outside the Co-op and Chapel of Ease. Yellow lines outside the co-op where there is a perfectly good car 

park. I have not lived in the village long enough to experience any problems. Perhaps a roundabout at the 

junction to Redgrave would solve the problem. No consideration was given to traffic through the Street 

after the By pass. Calming measures were done in haste with no thought put in. The lighting style is very in 

keeping with the village and needs extending in similar style along all the main street. Double yellow lines 

outside the Co op. Mini roundabout at east end of Botesdale. Yellow lines badly needed in the village street. 

Rickinghall has one of the worst collections of overhead wires & cables in the county. 

The village gets very dark at the Rickinghall end. Can Rickinghall have lights similar to those in Botesdale? 

Existing lights are often too far apart and cause dangerous dark spots. Yellow lines on one side of The 

Street. Cycleways. (This is a danger particularly where traffic calming chicanes occur) The one way end to 

Backhills should be two way for cycles. More parking places at St Botolph's school as it is ridiculous. Wider 

pavements opposite Co-op. It is impossible to drive through the villages without stopping due to parked cars. 

Roundabouts at all junctions along the bypass. Restriction of parking on the road, mainly outside the Co-op - 

it can be quite hazardous driving through the Street. Roundabouts at Redgrave/Botesdale junction. Turning 

right into Botesdale from Redgrave can be difficult due to limited visibility. Yellow lines in very narrow 

places I.e. 1 and 2 Maltings Cottages and Walsingham Mews. Stone removed from the pavement and tarmac 

so we can keep the front of our home tidy and path cleaned. Roundabouts would be absurd. Parking time in 

some areas (e.g. some cars are left outside shops for days). A free car parking area should be provided. The 

War Memorial should be protected from Skateboarders & Bladers by perhaps low wrought iron railings or 

spikes. 

Definitely no roundabouts. Both - not lived here long enough to form opinion. Yellow lines between the 

chapel of Ease and Mill Rd to aid vision of vehicles turning out from Mil Rd into the Street. Roundabout or 

traffic island at the end of Mill Rd to stop U-turns at the top of the hill by cars coming up and turning round. 



cycle lanes; The Street lighting from Garden House Lane to the church is very poor and non existent in The 

Chestnuts where we live. We all pay the same rates (percentage). Addition of new lights as in the centre of 

village to continue throughout villages. Removal of the "shingle" from the pavements in the centre of the 

village. If yellow lines are to be introduced there must also be enforcement. What would be the cost of s 

street warden to the parishes? Yellow lines on estates in Rickinghall to stop cars parking across home owner 

drive or even white lines across entrances. More lights in the Rickinghalls. Roundabout at junction of Mill 

Road and Chapel Lane. More pavements in Chapel Lane and The Drift and more lights. Yellow lines outside 

the Coop - there is a car park and people should use it. Perhaps at N end of village a mini roundabout at 

Redgrave Road end. Down Cherry Tree Lane it is like the black hole of Calcutta. Roundabouts on outskirts 

of village. Yellow lines outside Co-op. No further waste of money as with the last exercise of traffic 

calming!!! 

Driving into the village around the Church junction is quite dark when light out of order. The Drift ideally 

needs a pavement. Footpaths Rose Lane. Speed restriction signs, humps etc. Mobile police speed cameras. 

Old fashioned lampposts in Botesdale also. Traffic calming device at approaches to villages. Yellow lines are 

needed outside the Co-op to prevent parking in the road. A roundabout at the Botesdale entrance ot the 

villages. Brighter street lights and even some lights in Cherry Tree Lane. Side roads require better lighting. 

Zebra crossing or similar outside school. Pavement for back Hills. Yellow lines near Botesdale village Hall. 

Pavement Bridewell Lane & street lights. Roundabout at the Roundhouse Botesdale. More lighting is needed 

from St Mary's church going out of the village. More environmentally sensitive street lights - Two bottom 

one top of Parkview. Roundabout at entrance to village. More street lights like the ones in Botesdale. 

Replace old yellow lights with new type on existing poles. By the Co-op- road is very narrow so cars should be 

stopped from parking directly outside especially as it also on the brow of a hill. (See Highway Code) 

Q37 

Is there need for more accommodation of the following types in the Villages? 

One other category could be non-executive family housing. No statistics are available on the need for 

accommodation. Not knowing the need it is impossible to comment. A village should have a mixed supply to 

suit a mixed population. This survey may show both demand and supply - then predictions may be made for a 

range of housing. We would not like to see any housing development of any kind. We also feel that there has 

been enough infilling, recently, which is causing the village to look congested. The main problem is affordable 

family housing for local people already living and working in the area. Discourage second homes, holiday 

homes, but don't forget that incomers like to move here for employment. We did. 

There are already two small estates in the village - more will detract from the villages' character. We've all 

got houses thanks. More houses for first time buyers. Facilities already overloaded. No further expansion 

of the villages. Affordable housing for starter homes. Small developments over time, preserving existing 

proportions as per this list. The village is the right size now for the amenities we have. Building more houses 

should not be allowed. Less expensive homes for first time buyers. There is not much scope for more pupils 

at the School; that, and the Health centre are saturated already. NO new estates please. If there is to be 

housing can the local school and Health Centre cope with the extra demand ? In some classes St Botolphs 

has already reached maximum capacity. 

I think there has been too much development already and that we have lost the village and have become a 

small town. If the school and doctors have more space. Too many houses already. Small nice village will soon 

be a town. Yes, but school needs funding to grow and build with more pupils coming into village! If plans are 

made school should be allowed to make comments. No - the time we have to wait or an appointment at the 

Health centre now shows the centre is already running at full capacity. These villages have doubled in size 

since 1987. It’s about time building slowed down to let the THREE Villages gel. Village is large enough. 

Houses for young people to buy affordable homes. All in-filling should cease. Planning permission for building 

in gardens and shoe-horning houses into inappropriate spaces. e.g. where the butcher's shop in Botesdale 

should be declined absolutely. Gardens and green spaces must be protected and not be given up. Only if the 



facilities I.e. school are able to withstand the extra demand put upon them. Sewerage and drainage already 

at bursting point. No new developments until infrastructure improved. More council houses. Places made for 

more homeless teenagers. To improve split of local community. Re-siting of Health Centre as approach roads 

would be totally inadequate for more people in the village. 'The Drift' is dangerous. Hard to comment 

without more facts. Low cost homes for younger people. Development should be kept to a minimum, so as 

not to spoil the character of the villages. More affordable for young people. More starter homes. More 1-2 

bedroomed houses for the younger generation so they can stay in the village. Some housing for first time 

buyers would help the young people who can't afford the prices of most houses. Only have more if local 

schools etc are improved to hold the extra people in the village. Such a small area for such an emotive 

subject. If more building takes place it will need the infrastructure in place first. Sewerage treatment 

plant will need to be extended. Adequate water supply (some properties in Rickinghall have problems with 

reduced and sometimes no water pressure at all). More roads will be needed. School will not be big enough - 

already has had to be extended. Health Centre over-stretched. No public transport to get to main 

employment areas. Will there be employment around to support more housing? Limited police resources will 

lead to more trouble with increased population. One other environmental issue will be surface water. None 

of the committee were around when we had the floods of 1968. Will the Street be even more flooded! 

After reading the Parish Magazine looks as though we might as well be sardines. Village cramming indeed. 

We need open space and larger gardens that are safe for children to play in. Don't let any more high density 

building occur in our villages. 

Q38 

Do you want any more housing in the villages? 

More housing in moderation. Yes if appropriate and sensitively built. Do not WANT housing but prepared to 

accept limited development. Possibly. If further development is to take place which would be needed in 

order to sustain any enhanced facilities, e.g. more shops and recreational opportunities, the basic 

infrastructure must be enhanced before development takes place, e.g. school, etc. 

Q39 Indicate by the appropriate code what sort of housing you would like built in the villages in 

future. 

Depends on need but a range - with a definite top limit- keep this a village, not a town. Homes are needed 

for first time buyers £50,000 - £60,000 or less NOT £80,000 - £90,000. I think we should be more 

reserved in what's allowed to be built. Why turn the village into a town ? with more houses come more cars, 

usually two per home. Why build a bypass ? 

Q42 

Why does your household / Individual need to move? Give the most important reason only. 

If both deceased! (Traffic problems in Water Lane). When we moved here it was a quiet country lane, living 

in one of the oldest cottages in the village. The area has been developed and is no longer the quiet setting 

we desire. Lease expiring. For transport, for employment and for warmth. Landlord is selling. Our quality 

of life has been degraded by infill housing, overlooking, blocking light. Planning control seems restricted to 

maintenance a façade of a village. 



Q44 If you have used any of the following services which cover the Villages during the last 12 

months please rate the service. 

Only 2 doctors are worth seeing. Use private chiropody service as NHS provided not reliable and doesn't 

visit in own house. The waiting time on Quickie clinics at the health centre should be shortened. A 5 minute 

appointment should not result in sitting in the waiting room for over an hour. We appreciate that 

emergencies come in, but maybe the patients waiting could be split between other doctors/nurses in the 

practice at that time. Wait at doctors too long - waiting list to get an appointment to see physiotherapist is 

too long. 

Q45 Is there a medical service you would like to have added to the existing facilities at the Health 

Centre? 

Dentist, Arthritis Care. CPN. Minor surgery. Mental Health. Dentist, optician. Dentist. Private chiropody. 

X-Ray. Osteopath / Herbalist, Dentist. Regular physiotherapy. Alternative therapies. Chiropody at home. 

Acupuncturist. Reflexology, Acupuncture and X-ray dept. Optician. Dentistry. Alternative medicine e.g. 

Reflexology. Optical & Dental. Access to alternative/complementary therapies. Chiropractor. X-ray unit. 

Osteopathy. Dentist. Physiotherapy which at present is virtually non existent. Alternative medicine. 

Chemist. Optometrist and Dentist. NHS Dentist / NHS Optician plus alternative therapies. Acupuncture & 

complementary treatments/ medicines. 

To save me walking a 3hr round trip to the doctors a visiting one would be great. Extended Well-woman 

clinic. X-Rays. More chiropody. Dentist. Optician and dental services. Breast screening. X-ray unit; 

osteopath. Dentist, Gynecologist. Dentist. X ray facilities. Dentist. We need a larger Health centre with 

more doctors. No new services needed. Transport for old people 80+. Diabetic Clinic. Dentist. Mobile 

screening. I had to go to Stanton for a Mammogram. Alright while I can still drive a car. Relaxation, antistress 

classes. Alternative medicine. Local pathology facilities. X ray facilities. Dentist. Osteopath. A 

family planning clinic. Dialysis clinic. Set time for Family Planning clinic to be separate from GP Surgery. 

Alternative therapies e.g. massage. Gym. The concept of seeing your own Doctor would be nice. Dentist. 

Dental care. Hypo-therapy & Dentist. Dentistry. Dentist, optician, X-ray. X-ray and Physiotherapy more 

available. Dentist. Proper Physiotherapist, Dentistry. Physiotherapy, Dentist, Wider range of goods for 

sale including head lice controls. Massage/homeopathy. More in-house small operation procedures. More 

receptionists: X ray machine for broken bones. Alternative medicine. X Ray equipment. Physiotherapist, 

eye tests, dentistry. Dentist. Dentist. Dental facility and optician. Optician & Dentist. Improved 

physiotherapy, Dentist and Chiropody. Health Centre Gym. Quicker appointments for physiotherapy and 

chiropody. 

Portable X-ray machine may cut out the need to wait 7 hours at Bury A & E. 

Q46 

Do you have any difficulty in getting to the following? 

Doctors have too great a workload - have trouble getting appointments at times. Transport (a difficulty). 

Bus times do not connect with appointments. No transport bad back. Opening hours. Sciatica limited travel. 

Soon to be retiring from driving (Age 86). Alright by car. West Suffolk Hospital not easy by bus. It is just 

quite a way to get to some decent shops. Post repeat prescriptions instead of having to collect items. A 

village chemist would be a great asset. Why not at Health Centre? Pathology facilities to avoid return visits. 

Difficult to park. Hours of opening. Too far to travel for an X-ray and to hospital. Transport. Can't get 

around on my own. Incapacity. I have had a stroke - cannot go alone and have to be escorted. West Suffolk 

Hospital - Parking facilities appalling - not enough spaces. 



Q47 

Is there a need for a 'good neighbour' type scheme in the Villages? 

A good neighbour scheme is a voluntary, semi formal, arrangement within a locality where assistance is 

offered for minor tasks such as transport, gardening, odd jobs etc. 

We do it on an informal basis now. It already exists. May be there is a need but nowadays most people 

expect some monetary reward. The Friends of the Health Centre offer some help with transport (to the 

Health Centre). Word of mouth. 

Q48 

Which, if any, of the following crimes and anti-social behaviour concern you in the Villages? 

These all obviously concern me but they aren't all a problem here. Youngsters speeding on small roads. 

Speeding, litter. Speeding Cars. Trespass. Not concerned beyond normal. Dangerous driving. Poor driving 

by local youngsters with loud music in cars. People think that they can leave dog mess on our grass. It is 

against the law. Speeding. Indiscriminate car parking. None as both my boys have been in trouble. 

Layabouts sleeping rough. Legalised development vandalism. youths in cars driving erratically. Drug abuse. 

Have not been affected. Pollution. 

Q49 Please tick any of the following crimes or anti-social behaviours that you have suffered in the 

villages in the last three years. 

Petrol taken from my car. Bashing on front door at night when yobs passing. "Very minor" vandalism/criminal 

damage. Youths "wheel spinning" in Back Hills & Health Centre. Road rage. Burglary over 3 years ago - 

before the expense of installing an alarm. Dangerous driving. Illegal parking of untaxed cars. Layabouts 

sleeping rough. youths in cars driving erratically. 

Q50 If you have suffered a crime or antisocial behaviour in the villages in the last 3 years and did 

not report it to the Police, was it because you . . . 

Litter. Question should be "Did you report it to the Police and get a satisfactory outcome?" Answer "No we 

didn't". Reported it to Neighbourhood Watch. Rowdy behavior is infrequent. 

Q51 

If you have never attended a policing forum please say why not? 

Time, Attends County Forum. Didn't know there was one, Didn't know when they take place. Did not 

receive an invitation or notice of meeting, Not seen advert. Work shifts - unable to attend. Policing forum 

is a talking shop only. Have attended in the past, unable to attend at present. Report given to Parish Council. 

Not advertised sufficiently. Lack of transport. Didn't think it would help me. Very doubtful that they can 

influence strategy or improve service. We need police patrols not forums. Police do not bother me children 

would not get into so much trouble if people would leave them alone. Hard of hearing (understand) would not 

be able to hear what was being said. Away at work. Policing in this area is useless. Been too ill. House bound. 

Too tired at the end of the day. No time. Have not lived in the area long enough. I have been to several, 

they are simply a PR exercise. Knew about them from TV but not where they took place. 



Q52 

Do you know how to contact your Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator? 

Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators could be put in Magazine. We have not been approached by anyone to 

explain such a scheme existed or how it operates in three years. 

Q53 

Do you know where the Neighbourhood Watch information notices are posted? 

Details of Neighbour Watch notices should be on village notice boards. 

Q54 

How do you rate the following environmental services in the Villages? 

More people would recycle if collected from homes. Provision of separate bins would be an idea. Household 

waste recycling could be better - not enough bins, and what about plastic. Refuse collection would be even 

better if: Had green wheelie bins and brown compostable waste wheelie bins. Had recycling boxes, crates 

for glass, tin, plastics, papers. Facilities for the removal of large items needed. Too many lights and on for 

too long - light pollution. Street cleaning - non existent. NEED for a plastic bottle bank. Too much dog poo 

on the pavements. Could we please, please have wheelie bins? Refuse bags should be provided - other 

councils provide these and recycling bags. Someone should phone when bottle banks are full - it is a danger. 

Lighting in the village good, going out of the village poor. Refuse collection on The Street should be all on 

the same day or at least on adjacent days. The present system results in waste bags displayed all week. 

There should be more recycling bins or collections. Maybe extra bin collection for plastic milk bottles etc. 

Black bags for refuse collection is not a clean solution. Why can't we have wheelie bins? Why can't 

Rickinghall have street lights like Botesdale? I think for the amount of Council tax we pay, wheelie bins 

should be provided. We must be in the minority of parishes that do not have them. This would reduce health 

hazard, as you would not run the risk of the bins being split open by animals at night. I have encountered 

problems with rats/other animals attacking the refuse sacks outside my home, sacks which I have to put out 

in advance when I am away from home. A wheelie-bin system would prevent this. Could we have a plastic 

collection facility added to the Village Hall bins? 

Q55 

Do you use the following? (Recycling facilities) 

Had not heard of Brome Recycling Centre. I take paper and plastic bags to Diss when I go shopping. Can 

Bank is for drinks cans only. We need a tin bank too. Transport or carriage to Brome - nil! Need a plastic 

bottle bank. Don't have much waste. Can bank would be better to have food can bank as well as drink can 

bank. Also we need a plastics recycling, and they need to be emptied more frequently. Nothing to recycle. 

Take to supermarket banks in car. Lazy, lazy. Have no need. Use Diss. Not able. Use paper & bottle bank 

in Diss. Use paper & bottle bank in Diss. I would if I had recycling bins at home which would make it easier 

for me to remember to do so! Why can't refuse collection include wheelie bins to encourage us. Time! Did 

not know. Lazy and disorganized. Bin for recycling plastics. Better segregation of household waste for 

recycling purposes. Where are they? (Recycling facilities). Do not know of Brome recycling centre. Can't be 

bothered to go to Rickinghall - should be facilities in Botesdale. Not aware of facilities. Use the facilities 

elsewhere. Use in Bury. I use recycling at Safeways, Diss. Have no idea where they are but will make an 

effort to locate them. Take it to Diss as there is always room in the bins. Rickinghall always full. Go to Diss 

as local is always full. Didn't know we had them. Never heard of it (Brome recycling centre). We take ours 

to Diss as we can take plastic and paper (other than newspaper). Time! Organising all the separate bags. 

Would prefer special collections. Use Safeway at Diss. No transport. Consider I spend enough on bin liners 

already. Why should I go to these facilities at my own expense in addition? Time. Do not know where they 



are. Easier to dispose of recyclables when shopping in Diss. I am prepared to separate waste for collection 

at my house but not to drive with it to the hall. Where is it and what does it take? How to pack? When 

open? I don’t know where they are. No transport. Items too heavy to carry on a bicycle. Too far to go 

without own car. We use the recycling in Diss. Usually take to super market to save an extra journey. Also 

use others e.g Safeways Diss where appropriate. Just moved here - Didn't know about them. Didn't know 

about them. We don't think or forget. Should be set up as Refuse collection (professionally) and collected 

on the same day. Don't know where they are. Not aware of the facilities. I use Safeways in Diss. Forgot 

its there. Clothes to charity shop. Because our garden is too small to separate so many items . Some goes to 

the local tips. Too far away. Too far - I have no transport. Because I cannot get there. Only use 

occasionally. No transport - rely on other people. Don’t know where Broome is. Use banks at other locations. 

Didn’t know about them. Use Diss. Both just lazy. Did not know where they were. Unaware of Brome 

centre. Not in village full time. Did not know they were there. Too far away. Don't have a need to. No 

need. Didn't know about them. Use Fair Green Diss - Includes plastic. Don't know where they are located. 

Too far to go. Needed in Botesdale. Didn't know available. Don't live at home with parents therefore I 

don't use it. Parent uses them. Apathy ! Don't have a lot of rubbish. We would like to see a plastic bottle 

recycling point in the village or for a recycling system within the rubbish collection. 

Q56 

How often do you use the following Village shops and services? 

Mobile library fortnightly. Buy paraffin from village garages. Re. use of village garages - "You are 

joking". Will use Farmers Market and village farmers in future. Visits local grocers shops monthly but not 

Co-op. New Co-op needs to get act together re what they sell - offer what customers want. Used mobile 

library for first time in July and ordered a book. Now mid November & book still not received. Not 

impressed with service. No reason given as to why it taking so long, only that could be popular. 

Q57 

Do you encounter any of the following problems while shopping in the Villages? 

Please comment about any access difficulties in the Villages. 

More seating in the Street would be good. I don’t have problems but can see some. The steps to the Post 

Office are quite steep. The steps also to the Newsagent. Some steps are not edged in white, (for sight 

impaired people). If there were more shops in village and more of a village centre then a car park would be a 

good idea. At the moment it wouldn't work. Let's hope new Co-op car park will be big enough - Why 3 new 

houses though and not 2? Vehicle parking in front of Co-op Store. A potential collision aspect due to 

obstructed vision for vehicle drivers. People parking on road outside Co-op creates problems for all. 

Something needed to stop this. Shopping facilities inadequate but no other problems. Vehicle access to Coop 

car park is OK but exiting can be a problem because of vehicles parked on the road outside. I think the 

PO is difficult, due to steps, for the elderly. Post Office & Newsagents re wheelchair access. High steps in 

the post office. Post office steps are very steep. Post office steps for the elderly. People who park on 

pavements should be heavily fined. Negotiating steps at Newsagents & Post Office can be difficult 

sometimes. Ramps would help. (Disability Discrimination Act?) Co-op. Can't manage pushchair inside. Steep 

steps to Post Office. Post Office totally inaccessible for pushchair and wheelchair users. Difficult to get 

into Post office with push chair. Negotiating Post office steps. Post Office has no pushchair access. Cars 

parked on pavements - need a village car park - like they do in Eye. Have a double pushchair and often have 

to go into the road because of parked cars. Also have problems gaining access to village. Cars parked across 

access to drives. Parked cars in front of driveways. Cars parked across the entrance to the Chapel of Ease 

blocking disabled access and the steps. Steps can be a problem at the Post Office and the Newsagents. 

Access to the PO is impossible with a pram or push chair. Car Parking. Not a problem. Lack of 

business/shops is the issue. On estates cars blocking owners drives or solid white lines should be considered 

along all estates. Don't have room to push pushchair round Co-op. Can't get up steps to the Post Office with 



pushchair. Vehicles parked on the Street outside Co-op store when there is room the in car park. Put yellow 

lines. Pushchair access difficult when cars parked on pavement . Steep steps to Post office. Post Office 

steps are a problem. Car park needed near shops. Difficulty in accessing the Post Office and Newsagents 

with a push chair. Difficulty in gaining access to the Post Office. Cars outside Co-op. Used to when children 

were young. Cars parking on wider footpaths, they should be prosecuted. Parking on the footway forces 

pedestrians to walk in the road; e.g. outside Simonds. High steps into the post office. Post office definitely 

needs improvement. All the shops are difficult with push chairs and especially the steps at the post office. 

Getting prams and pushchairs into post office and newsagents. Disabled access to the post office. Shopping 

is done for me. Better facilities for parking residents and visitors cars should be provided. Post Office 

Steps. Post van parks on pavements and drives up quickly. Co-op. They have a good car park, yet people will 

insist on parking out on the front. They would rather park over the entrance than park properly and have a 

few more yards to walk. 

Q58 Which of the following sports clubs/activities would you attend in the Villages if they were 

provided? 

Gym, Swimming Pool, Keep fit classes. Chess. Keep fit, Aerobics, Gymnasium. Keep fit, Aerobics, 

Gymnasium. Tennis is provided. Might use Badminton. Football as a spectator. I would have used an activity 

but disliked the man who runs it. Weight Watchers. Gym & swimming pool. Gentle exercises for over 55s. 

Line Dancing. Swimming. Wildlife/conversation issues. Bowls club. Exercise for senior citizens. Gymnasium. 

Indoor swimming pool. Chess. Swimming. I go to Yoga in another village. Cycling. Already attend Yoga class 

in nearby village. Gardening and bridge clubs. Swimming pool. Swimming pool. Swimming pool !! Swimming. 

Health club. Line dancing. T'ai chi. General fitness club. Swimming groups. Keep fit classes in daytime. 

Gymnasium/fitness centre. To question 58 should have been added "a general youth club". Fitness gym. Old 

folks keep fit. Microlight aircraft flying club. Better upkeep of the cutting of the playing field. Swimming 

& self defence. Self defence. Gym. Aerobics/Keep fit. Gymnasium. Swimming. Aerobics. Chess. Art 

Classes etc. Keep Fit / Diet Club. Circuit training. Swimming pool. Ceroc dancing. Several of these if I 

were young. Netball. Net Ball. Swimming. Gymnastics for daughter. Scrabble club - afternoons. Debating 

society. Adult Education. Skateboarding. Gym or Swimming pool. Aerobics. As a mother of two, time is 

very precious so I would only do something with them in mind. We like walking as a family but we'd probably 

all like table tennis. Target rifle shooting. 

Q59 

What improvements, if any, are required to Botesdale Village Playing Field? 

It would be better with a more regular maintenance programme. It's rather unkempt and dark uninviting. 

Not much to do there. Needs picnic benches, etc. Where is it? I have been in the villages for 26 years, but 

know of no playing field in Botesdale. Is it marked anywhere? I have frequently found broken glass round 

the swing area - obvious danger to children. Acquisition of children's slide would be useful. Needs lighting. 

Not very good - can you call it a playing field? Cut grass. Tables and Seats. Dust bin for rubbish. I think it 

is a little small to make much change. More seats. More regular maintenance. 5-a-side football pitch. More 

play equipment for young children. Fenced area for children to include sand pit and exclude dogs. Entrance 

needs to be more welcoming. Made more attractive. Grass kept much tidier, more activities for the children 

to play on or with. Cut the grass would be nice. A facility for skate boarding and BMX is needed. It needs 

better facilities and better equipment for the younger children. Levelling and more grass cutting. More 

children's equipment. More grass cutting. Toilet access, push chair access, tiny tots play area. Safety at 

small gate so toddlers cannot run out - whilst parents are far away. Lighting after dark to increase the 

chance of teenagers using it for football. It is where some undesirables hang out at present; lighting would 

deter them. More seating more climbing equipment. Cut grass more regular, fencing, always broken glass 

round trees. Kept tidy i.e. grass cut regularly. More clearance of dog fouling and any sharp objects. 

Perhaps more play equipment. General maintenance. Grass cut more frequently - cuttings removed. The 



grass should be cut more. A slide would be good, Better gates for getting into the field. Do not use the 

playing field. Cutting grass more often & litter clearing. More seating and litter bins. Grass cut more often. 

Children's play area is good. The grass needs to be cut regularly at the necessary times. Complete revamp. 

Facilities for skateboarding. More amenities for children; improved access for disabled and wheelchairs. 

Level the ground, cut the grass more often. Grass cut more often; more obvious litter bins; a slide for the 

younger children built into a grass bank for safety. Needs great improvement - more swings slides etc. 

Needs levelling. More seats and more equipment. Remove the tree - I worry that my children could be 

attacked by someone lurking in the trees. Very difficult to get pushchair/pram onto Botesdale playing field. 

Grass cut more often. There is often glass broken under the trees which I have picked up twice. Need 

checking for rubbish. More play equipment on Botesdale playing field. Has poor surface for football 

otherwise it is sufficient. Access for prams or invalids to watch children. White lines for children to cross 

Mill Lane. Better play equipment for 2-5 year olds. More play equipment - slide, seesaw, roundabout. Is 

there a better location - 'out of the way' and Mill road traffic often exceeds the speed limit. Nearly always 

broken glass present. Football pitch very uneven. Could it possibly be rolled ? The playing field needs 

levelling and resurfacing. This would make it very usable unlike now. I haven't been there for a few months 

but I think the area needs a general tidy-up - grass cutting. Fencing round play area such as Rickinghall. 

More equipment, more appealing. The children would like more equipment. The ground/field is very bumpy 

and at present not suitable for ball games. A present it is just a space. If you want a playing field at a 

minimum it needs grading and a decent grass surface to be laid. More modern play equipment. Action to 

make egress for the field safer for UNSUPERVISED children by using sleeping policemen to slow traffic. 

Allow people to walk their dogs and then fine them for not clearing up their mess. Grass should be cut more 

often and shorter so the boys/girls can play football. Grass cut regularly; more equipment to play on. Need 

things to play on. Better equipment like Rickinghall's. Grass surface is not flat enough for ball games, it is 

very uneven. Made bigger. To be kept cut and tidy. Everything. Cut back weeds. It's not easy to find, I 

only found it through walking, otherwise you might never know it's there. It's quite well hidden. It's a good 

bit of land , but nothing much on it, it's quite a lonely road. I would not let my children go there on their own. 

It could do with more lights around that area, and maybe something for older children/teenagers to do or 

hang out. Needs levelling for football. plus a skate board ramp. 

Q60 

What improvements, if any, are required to Rickinghall Play Area and Playing Field? 

A mute button for foul language footballers. A tarmac car park. More kiddies rides. None at present. 

Seats and picnic benches. Halt expansion to car park area. Loss of grassed area is of utmost importance. 

Playing field is not for Farmers Market or to fund these and / or others. Pair of "baby" swings. Seating 

(benches). Improve car park surface, improve lighting of car park, indication sign from The Street, Bury 

Road. New children's play area is great. Make it easier to use the all weather area. Youngsters need to be 

given every opportunity to utilize their spare time. Too often young people complain of having nothing to do. 

More access to key for tennis courts especially after closing of newsagents. Do not concern me. None, it 

seems a lovely area. Skate board area. More seats. More swings for toddlers, Toilets. A facility for skate 

boarding and BMX is needed. The railings I'm sure were put around the play equipment for security reasons 

but twice my little girl has caught her fingers in the gate. The area is well laid out and a popular facility. 

Level playing pitch on playing field required. Better cutting. Sports barn etc centre for badminton, table 

tennis. Toilet access. Advertising about villages before matches and tournaments to attract spectators and 

possible participants. More clearance of dog fouling and any sharp objects. Do not use the playing field. We 

would like to see new swings and a few more items for kids to play on. Plenty of seating areas on the playing 

field. Some in the shade. It gets very hot in the summer months. More children's playthings. Facilities for 

skateboarding. Grass kept shorter. Painted running track in summer months. Gymnasium facilities. Access 

to toilets whilst visiting tennis courts' public telephone in case of injury or emergency; more seating; more 

play equipment for children over 8 years. Very good facilities. More & robust litter bins. It has been 

greatly improved already. Needs leveling. More toddler swings. Floodlighting to play on grass in the dark. I 

think Rickinghall play area is excellent. My son would like a skateboard park. He may not be alone if the 

amount of skates, scooters, bikes and skateboards I've seen in the village is anything to go by. They're very 



good. Goal posts. Do not keep lights burning when not in use. The equipment needs cleaning regularly - 

especially in the summer. I used up practically a whole packet of baby wipes just so that my baby could go on 

the swings but I needed to clean the bird muck off first. They use the play equipment as a 'roost' A friend 

of mine complained to a councillor who apparently said "Tough". NOT GOOD ENOUGH. 

More modern play equipment; fully fenced in; larger area with paved skateboarding/biking area. Flag Poles. 

Removal of fallen tree. More floodlights. None - an excellent village amenity. Move the goal post over to 

the farmer's field. Stop the football players swearing at each other whilst playing on the green. Explain to 

the football players that there is a toilet in the village hall so there is no need to have a pee on the green. 

Removal of the tree that was cut down two years ago. Fence off car park. OK. It's a shame it doesn't get 

more children there, but there's only one small child swing which is the one they all want. Again I wouldn't 

let my children go there on their own, however old, I know of a young boy who has been threatened with a 

flick knife while there with a friend playing football. However much you spend on somewhere, there will 

always be someone to spoil it, we always had a large garden to play in as children, I'm sure if everyone still 

had there wouldn't be quite so much trouble. 

Q62 If you wanted to join any of the organisations listed on Page 31 but felt unable to do so, was 

it because. . 

Have been fairly busy elsewhere - just haven't started! Organisations are of no interest. Lack of time. Of 

no interest. No time. I am visually impaired and cannot drive/walk - I rely on neighbours. Life just too 

hectic at present. We are newcomers and would like to participate in village life. Hopefully we can now do so. 

Cannot be bothered. Smoke from cigarettes. Too much work and too little time at moment. No time. Didn't 

know about them. None appeal. No time. Lack of leisure time. No wish to join any. Not easy to find the 

time. Not terribly interesting organisations. (Would like to sail on lake at Redgrave Hall). Not wanted to 

join. Work prohibits regular attendance. No time. Lack of time. Health reasons. (Not a member of any 

village organisation) Due to working full time. Plenty of own commitments. Child care issues. Other 

interests. Didn’t know about them till now. Work commitments preclude regular attendance. Working does 

not allow time. Didn't know half of them existed. More evening well publicised events. i.e. Art classes and 

yoga. Lack of information on what is available. Unaware of them. Satisfied with current involvement. No 

information. Don't want to join any thank you. Uncomfortable due to hard of hearing. Away at work. Happy 

to be at home. Didn't know about athletics, Amateur Dramatics and Netball. Might be too old for netball!!! 

Not enough time - full time worker. Didn’t know about them. We are very new to the village. Both not 

interested. Childcare problems in the evenings. No free time available. Have not wanted to. No one to 

introduce me to organisations. Too busy and not enough energy. No invitation. Not much time and no baby 

sitter. Not of my interest at present. Only really have spare time at the weekends. 

Q63 

How do you rate the facilities at Botesdale Village Hall? 

Hire to individuals too high. Get a little dangerous when trying to walk through car park to get to the school 

in mornings- people parked everywhere. Meeting room is good. Much good work has been done - a great 

improvement. Access to car park not easy. Access from car park visibility poor. Access by foot to hall is 

very poor, slope is difficult. People park up and down the street often causing difficulty leaving my driveway 

safely. "very good". Entrance wall should be lowered. In-coming cars cannot see out-going cars. Pedestrians 

have no other option but to wait for "musical cars" for access. Not very easy to park sometimes. Difficult 

to get in and out at busy times. I appreciate car parking is limited to amount of available space at the hall. 

Access is hindered by cars parked too close to the entrance on the main road. Lined parking spaces would 

ensure maximum cars could be parked correctly. Have not yet attended anything at the village hall! 

Difficult to turn in from the left hand side because of the wall. Sound and lighting especially good. Car park 

could do with parking bays especially at school end when there are functions at the village hall. With the 



grants & all the hard work and money raising efforts locally it now is one of the best locally the same as 

Rickinghall. Pieces of the Car Park keep disappearing into house next door's garden? Insufficient parking 

and poor access onto main road - dangerous if a car is trying to exit and one enters. The parking is 

extremely difficult and probably does cause problems with actually being able to park. No contact number 

for person who hires hall. Cars entering and leaving the car park at the same time cause problems. Stage 

not needed extend hall. Very clean but hall needs painting. Have attended and hall seems satisfactory. 

More parking required or overspill nearby. Dangerous for parents collecting children by car to use the same 

entrance as pedestrians. Access and parking can be tricky but on the whole is satisfactory. A newly 

refurbished hall of this size needs two sinks in the kitchen for washing dishes for the number it can 

accommodate. Car Park OK for Village Hall parking but too small for school and Play group parking. Getting 

to the playgroup in the morning is very difficult when you have to use a car. A very nice hall but just not too 

easy driving in and out. Return of keys difficult. Entrance is too narrow - cars meet head on as visibility into 

and out of the car park is non existent. Could do with extra parking facilities. 

Q64 

How do you rate the facilities at Rickinghall Village Hall? 

All weather pitch should be most easily accessible. Tennis Club where everyone pays an annual membership 

and retains key. Not always easy to use (Village Hall) as required, mainly due to the keyholding arrangements 

and pre-booking. Additional annex to original hall of inferior design adding little to venue itself. Have only 

been to the Farmers' Market there. I think we are lucky to have two such good halls. If you use any of 

these things Kitchen / Hall / Showers there is never anything to clean up with afterwards. Could have more 

arranged activities -on the playing field. Could be warmer at the Day Centre. With the grants & all the hard 

work and money raising efforts locally it now is one of the best locally the same as Botesdale. Tarmac is an 

improvement. A more convenient arrangement regarding the access to toilet for disabled. Needs concrete 

area for skateboarding. The hall is o.k. but I think the bar area is stupid. If there is a function there it is 

like there are two separate parties. Why can't the wall be knocked out and make somehow an archway 

through. Very good. Baby changing facilities would be helpful. Very good. Could do with an outside light 

over main entrance doorway. Satisfactory. Kitchen too small for most functions. Car park very slippery 

when icy now tarmaced. Have only used play area. Kitchen satisfactory except for swarm of ants in the 

Summer. Showers have poor flow rate. Needs a bar. A well run village hall. 

Q65 

Which new social clubs / activities would you attend in the Villages if they were provided? 

Horticulture, fitness. Gymnasium, debating society. Table tennis club. Yoga. Yoga / Pilates, Badminton 

Club, WEA evening classes. Arts, crafts, rural history. Swimming. Squash club. Table tennis. Badminton, 

Table tennis. Pottery and Water colours. Pottery, Water colour painting. Yoga gym. Social club. Yoga gym. 

Older people things. Badminton. Snooker. Badminton. Snooker. Line dancing. Line Dancing. Painting class, 

Model making. Painting class model making. Table tennis and badminton exercise for over 55's (line 

dancing). Swimming. Too old for new activities. Wildlife/conservation/birds. Badminton/squash court. 

Whist drives. Line dancing. Bridge club, madrigal group. Bridge club, Sports, Local evening classes. Keep 

fit. craft classes, DIY in the evenings. Chess Club. No preference but have enjoyed the bands and parties 

at RV H. Badminton club. Sailing at Redgrave lake. Slimming club. Horticultural club. Singing / musical. 

Gym Fitness. Most if other concerns addressed. Cycling and Athletics. Keep fit class. Sports Clubs. 

Occasional cinema. Gardening and bridge. Social club. Flower arranging. Squash, Tennis, Over-40s football. 

Member of the Botesdale After School, Badminton, Table Tennis clubs I have no more time to join. Evening 

classes, first aid courses. Evening classes, film shows, first aid. Pub/restaurant. Boys clubs i.e. judo, cubs. 

Yoga, badminton. Snooker. Yoga, maybe a first aid course. Sea fishing days out. Badminton Club. Tennis, 

badminton. Tennis, snooker, badminton. Volley ball. Deafness excluded me from village social clubs etc. 

Tennis, badminton, yoga. Evening classes fitness. Snooker/ billiards. Line Dancing. Music. Painting. 

Literary Circle, Scrabble. University of the Third age. Social evening for single or separated young people. 



Yoga. Tai Chi at Botesdale Village Hall, Craft Groups. Shooting Club. A badminton club and a tennis club. A 

decent pub, like the Hamblyn House used to be; a tea shop/coffee shop/restaurant. Swimming club. Group 

for 40s age group: wives group but not religious based; voluntary groups. Table tennis, athletics club. Table 

tennis. Swimming club/pool. Art. Yoga. Badminton. Band, Tennis, Youth Club. Swimming pool. Golf course. 

Swimming Pool. Gardening club. Fitness gym. Art Classes. Sport Tennis Club Squash. Tennis. Badminton. 

Aviation related. Art work related. Crafts, computer, self defence. Yoga, kids football for under 5's. 

Squash club. Art, education evening classes. Wine society. Art appreciation. Art classes evenings. 

Gymnasium. Karate, Yoga, Social group for the over 35's. Tennis. Aerobics, Yoga, Martial Arts. Reading 

and /or writing. Photography. Food and drink courses in the evenings, anything educational. Popular music, 

dances, concerts. Squash, Circuit Training. Yoga, Pilates. Parents Club/more adult social functions e.g. 

discos. Children's clubs as drama, horse riding, crafts, sports, music, choir. A book club. A Twins and 

multiple birth club. Literary or music activities. Computer lessons. Country pursuits - hunting, shooting, 

fishing. Tennis club. Youth club. Art Classes in the evening. Yoga. Panto’s. Supper club and ceroc dancing. 

Community events e.g. barbeques. Barn dances etc. Indoor bowls. Gardening Club. Gymnastics and tennis 

practice. Theatre Club, Computer club. Mothers Union. Cinema Shows. Line Dancing. Keep fit for over 60s. 

Yoga. Scrabble, debating, literary, music, in afternoons or arranged lifts in the evening. 

It would be good to have a "Carers' Group" for primary carers. This would have to be organised through the 

Health Centre who would be able to identify all Primary Carers when they move into the practice area. More 

and more disabled people are being looked after in their own homes and the carers need support. Youth Club 

for children on a regular basis - from aged 12 where they can be left. 

Q66 Should Rickinghall Veteran Car Rally continue after it's 25th anniversary in 2002? 

If yes, and you are willing to help, please complete the separate reply sheet 

At the Rickinghall Rally there needs to be variation in the arena events; there tends to be duplication each 

year. More events needed for teenagers. Don’t know anything about it. 

Q67 

Where do you usually get information about events taking place in the Villages? 

We find Parish Magazine very informative. Information about events from friends. Word of mouth. Is 

blind. Mother-in-law. Word of mouth. Word of mouth from friends and family. Country Garden, Simonds, 

School. Inside Rickinghall Village Hall. Co-op notice board. Notice board, Rickinghall Village Hall, Country 

Garden, Simonds garage and Chapel of Ease. Many of us do not have access to free local papers even though 

we live in the village. Children (!!!!!) local gossip! Food store. Word of mouth. Brecklaw Crafts, Rickinghall 

Village Hall. Posters in windows and on lamp posts. Co-op notice board. From The Bell, Word of mouth e.g. in 

public house. Word of mouth. Hearsay. Word of mouth. Notice at Country Garden. Look in local paper but 

nothing much in there. Also by word of mouth. Simonds Garage. Village Store. Through other people in the 

village. Ask parent. 

Q68 

What additional items would you like included in the monthly Parish Magazine? 

Children's Corner. More contributions from readers. Need encouragement. More true stories, historical 

events etc. "Life in the 1930's, 40's, 50's etc. Ideas and proposals from District Council. Parkview Chapel 

dates. More personal history. Subjects of various speakers at WI and Heritage. Reports from various 

clubs etc. Police contact numbers as no local numbers known. Parish Council topic notes. Schedule of visiting 

services eg fishmonger. Letters page, Crossword? Quiz, family puzzles. Periodic full listing of all village 

organisations and contacts. Reports of special events. More local businesses. Recipes and Correspondence. 



Explaining what the powers of the parish council and what each post held is. What is the job of each post. 

Who are they? Items such as births, deaths, marriages of local people. Competitions. news about people in 

village e.g. weddings, education, GCSE/ Degrees etc, Births (people's successes). Any evening events taking 

place at Rickinghall Village Hall. Parish Council Meeting Reports. Planning Applications. 

Reports from time to time of interesting events, changes in shops, doctors, Christmas closing times etc. 

Letters to the Editor with some passion and enthusiasm. Earlier notice of forthcoming events and activities. 

Already very good and comprehensive. Anyone needing volunteers should advertise; this would encourage 

interest. A Grievances page: I could then write in and say why do dog owners (some, sorry) still do not pick 

up their mess. It is so rude. Just a little bit of what people need to get off their chests. It can 

sometimes help and somebody might listen. Individuals offering small services e.g. child minder, window 

cleaner, cleaner. Local people writing articles of interest. Crossword puzzle. Recipes. More invitations to 

join church, especially for young. Notices affecting these parishes. Report from Botesdale Parish Council. 

Recipe ideas. Letter page. How about an "Items for Sale" section. Whats on and when - local club info for 

new people moving into village. Facts about the parish, more surveys, discussion. More general news of 

village life and more history pieces on individual houses etc. A decrease in the number of contributors and 

to change the emphasis; this seems to be a church magazine. A full report from parish council before the 

next month's meeting or use the local press instead as Botesdale does. Interviews with local people who 

remember the village as it was - articles on the history of the village. Whatever is important for everyone. 

Football news. None - this is a very good magazine. Letters from readers. Birth marriage and burial info to 

be up to date. Rickinghall church is very behind on info which in case of burials can be upsetting when notice 

can be up to 12 months late. A gardening "Tips" or some kind of amateur gardening column. 

Q69 

How does your household dispose of garden waste? 

A friend's "tip". Skip hire. Take to Bury waste. Commercial disposal of garden waste. Prunings for 

basketry, Windfalls for horse, fallen trees chopped up for stove. Not aware of the option of using special 

sacks with household waste. Gardener removes it. It is taken away for disposal. We need a tip nearer or 

waste collected. Collection by dustmen for pensioners. Family or neighbour taking it to Brome. Chipping and 

shredding. Take to farm. Eye tip. BSE refuse site. Gardeners remove to tip. No garden. Kitchen refuse 

fed to friend's goats. Hiring skip. Snetterton recycling centre. Gardener. Ingham. Thetford Recycling 

Centre. Haven't done much gardening. Skip. Take to Thetford tip. Bury Recycling. Don't have a garden. By 

skip. To the dump on the way to Eye. Family take it away. Pigs. Shredding. We planned to compost and will 

also use some of the options. No garden waste. Stowmarket dump. Lawn clipping for neighbours horses. 

Gardener takes it away. Shredding. Take it to the Snetterton Recycling Centre. Skip. Recycle on land. 

Skips. My parents take it to their's to burn. Over the fence ! Take to farm in Redgrave. 

Q70 

Should your parish council obtain more open space for public enjoyment? 

Definitely. Small rose Garden. It seems a shame that Botesdale playing field is so underdeveloped and 

underused, also the Market Place. Some land for children to play on closer to the built up areas of 

Wheatfields & Ryders Way would be useful if it stopped children playing on the roads. 

Q71 Your parish council is empowered to raise money through the Council Tax. Are you satisfied 

with the way this money is spent? 

Would like to know more about how money is spent. 



Q72 Would you be prepared to pay a slightly higher council tax to meet the costs of projects 

identified as a result of this survey? 

We believe our council tax is too high already. If I supported it. It appears they increase the tax 

automatically each year already. Just can't afford it. Yes if those projects were put to a referendum first. 

I maintain other areas of wastage of funds be reviewed. Depends on how much and for what benefit. 

Q74 

Have you ever attended a parish council meeting that is open to all the electors of the Parish? 

Not since the 1960's when I was in Redgrave. Was parish councillor for 14 years. 

Q75 

If you have not attended a Parish Council Meeting, why not? 

When I did go it was very protracted, it could be crisped up! Owing to ill health. Don't go out after dark. 

Not able. Only just arrived in the village. Not sure when and where these events are held. Babysitters 

often not available. Do not want to get involved in local politics - can cause ill-feeling in village life! Only in 

village temporarily. Proceedings are reported afterwards. I can talk informally to members because I know 

them quite well. Often not available. Parish decisions over-ridden by District and County councils. No 

reason to. Our experience of local government is that it appears to revolve around the self interest of the 

councillors. Baby sitting as husband is member of council. Work shifts - unable to attend. I would if there 

were controversial matters to discuss. Health reasons. Never got round to it. Work precludes any 

attendance plan. New to area. I think I would probably say too much. Not out at night. Too short a time 

here to become involved. Not permanent in the village. Never hear about them. Just moved in. Will one 

voice in the wilderness make any difference ? I think not. Too clicky. No transport. We are interested but 

do not wish to attend meetings. Young family. Health reasons. Maybe this year ! Would attend major 

planning issues. Only recently moved into the village. We missed the last one due to other arrangements, 

but seems a good time. Childminding problems in the evenings. Unsure as to the role the public can play in 

any such meeting. What is the point - what are they discussing except the state of the pavements etc. 

Have not lived in the village long enough (16months). Not mobile. Husband attended. Shift worker. Not 

been in the area for long. It is not a public meeting. Wouldn't appreciate being turned out. Depends what is 

on the agenda. Oversight. New resident. New arrival. As disabled do not get out certainly not at night even 

when could walk. 

Q76 

Do you know how the Parish Councils publicise their decisions and activities? 

Seen some write ups in local paper but unaware of any other means. More newspaper reports needed for 

Rickinghall. Botesdale reports their meetings in press. 

Q77 The three parishes of Botesdale, Rickinghall Inferior and Rickinghall Superior are currently 

represented by two Parish Councils. How would you like to see these run in the future? 

Rickinghall Superior and Inferior joined as one parish. Depends on the benefits of each choice. Parish 

Councils are out of touch with residents. Therefore residents are out of touch with Councils. There may be 

some value in treating some matters jointly. One joint PC would cause considerable problems. Number of 

councillors. Three separate annual parish meetings agreement of how to arrange where meetings should be 

held plus enormous other problems. Without financial increase. New to area. As the villages are so close, it 



would seem sensible to have one Parish Council between them. Not bothered - All useless. 

Q79 

Is a Local Place of Worship important to you? 

For concerts, exhibitions. I am quite happy with Mother Nature. The local churches should be open daily for 

private worship. Not orthodox Christians. 

Q80 

Do you think the local religious groups contribute to community life by .… 

Good people willing to listen to problems. I still think it is important as a place of spiritual contemplation. Do 

not know anything about these groups to comment. Was surprised how many people that go to local religious 

groups are usually the most unhelpful sometimes. They should make more contribution to the community 

especially the young (under 18's). It should be available to whoever wants it. Depends on which group - in 

general they do very little. Support, friendship. Only to provide guidance etc to those who attend 

church/chapel. For the groups to decide for themselves. I have never attended a regular church service so 

do not feel able to comment. Do exceedingly little. It's good that the chapel in Botesdale does a lot for the 

local children through its clubs. They make no contribution; does this mean they will be abolished by the 

parish council. 

Q81 What do you think should be done to help protect and enhance the local environment of the 

Villages? 

Do not over-develop. A greater control over illegal heavy vehicles passing through the village. Clear litter 

and dog fouling from roadside. Clearance of litter. Restrict amount of new housing. Promote facilities for 

young and elderly. For District Council to justify when going against Parish Council recommendations. More 

historical information round the village. Keep them small. Encourage activities, employment, leadership for 

young people, and respect for old people. Keep it as it is. Stricter planning controls on willy nilly infill. Clamp 

down on fly dumping near the village and burnt out cars. Local beat Police Officer. Restrict building. School 

and Health Centre unable to cope with any more. Stop in-fill building such as the sale of garden plot on The 

Street/Garden House Lane. Limit size of any further building, i.e. small housing developments only. Place 

cables underground. Provide more night-time street lights. Those in position of power should have the 

answer to this. Leave well alone! Encourage local businesses by low business rates. Keep villages "alive" - i.e. 

modest new housing, shops, social activities. More recycling (e.g. plastics) facilities. More tree planting, 

hedges on field boundaries. Severe controls on lighting at night, slower cars, less houses, more indigenous 

plants and shrubs - no more horrid garden centre variegated evergreens - please. Sustainable development 

of housing; rates relief for local businesses; higher presence of local police; protection and enhancement of 

footpaths or countryside areas. Speed calming measures through the village; bring back small community 

primary schools. Green recycling facilities. Reduce traffic flow. Stop building development. I think help 

should be given to support "the shops" in the Market Square. To restrict number of cars from the Lophams 

and Redgrave using The Street as a short cut - this would require road alterations at Botesdale Redgrave 

road. Encourage the planting of more trees and hedgerows in fields. Get the police to take a more hands on 

approach. Restrict Infilling. Satisfied with present conditions. Return pathways to tarmac. Speed cameras. 

Not cut down trees, plant more. Litter collection along the by-pass. More flower displays. More cycling 

paths for enjoying local scenery. More pavements. More police presence. Keep our countryside free and 

open. More 'HI VIS' policing. Restrict development of large housing estate - encourage residents to think 

of others. More thought should be given to new housing development before passing plans and village areas 

spoilt. Stop the proposed housing programme as rumoured. Preserving the countryside. More policing at 

monument as place for unwanted teenagers congregate there. Improve anti dog fouling awareness. Provide 



village police constable. Keep the village as it is with no more houses on greenfield sites. Plant more trees - 

no expansion of the village. Careful consideration of the balance between housing needs and development 

and any subsequent support services. Encourage small businesses for local employment and the right type of 

houses, not large estates. A Bobby on foot. More trimming back of the hedges and path sweeping. Prevent 

dumping of burnt out cars on Botesdale Common paths. Reduce traffic. No more building apart from 

infilling. Encourage more use of in-village services so no further closures are necessary. Ensure that 

footpaths and set a side land is kept free for walking. Keep villages tidy. Less street parking. Encourage 

more window boxes and hanging baskets from houses and lamp posts. Continue the good and efficient ways 

already in place - thank you. Street cleaning. Prevention of over development. Restriction on the amount of 

redevelopment allowed. Discourage the dumping of cars and rubbish. No more Infill housing to the south of 

the village. More police needed. Stop further building on open land. Open up bridle paths. Plant Millennium 

wood at top of Rectory Hill. Stop people parking in the street. Encourage homeowners to keep properties & 

gardens in order. Restrict new housing. Interesting walking routes. Signposted walking routes. Plant more 

trees, especially where old ones are becoming diseased or have been felled. No large scale development. 

What's wrong with the environment? Tax occupiers of second homes located within the villages. Provide a 

meeting place for teenagers. Present facilities, ie Health Centre, Schools, drains would not cope with major 

development. Strict control of further building development kept in proportion to current size of Botesdale. 

No extension to existing village envelope. Keep clean. No green field building. Schemes that involve young 

people, of their choice. Give young people somewhere to go. Encourage long standing villagers to get 

involved not do-gooding newcomers. Restricted development. To be allowed to grow and develop over time. 

No large developments but must not fossilise. No major developments, but allow small-scale changes. 

Encourage small businesses. Inconsiderate parking through the village. (Yellow lines). More policing, 

Friendlier neighbours, discipline and events for youngsters. More recycling facilities. Cut down on modern 

housing development. Keep tight control on building applications etc. Stop the newcomers meddling. Bins to 

discourage littering. More public flowers/trees. More trees. More dog mess bins along The Street with 

bags. Local policeman. Restrict housing. Do not let developers build hundreds of houses on the village 

outskirts. This is a wonderful place to live but could so easily be ruined by over-development. Undergrounding 

of cables; more floral decorations/pots/tubs etc. No large scale development. No more building. 

We think you are doing a pretty good job. No more house building. Drastically shutdown the suffocating 

building in the villages. Cheap starter homes for the younger couples. Places of work and starter homes for 

young "struggling-to-start" out adults. Less on road parking; more open spaces left untouched. No more 

development. Keep it as it is. Greater recycling facilities. more rubbish bins. Ensure it does not become a 

town with too many new houses going up. Protect green belt - limit building. Car parking provided when new 

houses are built. Flowers / trees planted. Street parking. Bus shelters. Greater infrastructure before 

development. Provide off road parking. Leave it alone, this is a RURAL area, not URBAN. If anything 

encourage village life not town. Bury telephone wires, tarmacadam the pavements. Restrict building new 

houses and encourage more small shops. Footpaths properly maintained and marked. Reduce parking the 

street. Keep footpaths maintained. Trim shrubs outside Jubilee House. Ensure that any large scale 

developments also extends amenities enough to do this. Improve Footpaths. Good facilities for mums and 

babies and separated mothers. Prevent any further development. No more infilling on the Street - Leave 

some greenery visible. Keep Heavy Goods Vehicles away from the villages. Provide more local employment. 

More police presence. Limit new buildings. No more new housing projects. Encourage people to be proud of 

their village etc. Don't drop litter, don't vandalise things or daub graffiti. More powers to Parish Council. 

Too late. Too much building within villages has been allowed. Provide a public car park, this should be free. 

Care with planning. More areas for skateboarding. BT cables to be buried; traditional street lighting; 

hedges on roads where people walk to be trimmed; grass verges cut. No large housing estates: green belt 

retained. Stop building housing estates bigger than 5 houses: No further development of in-fill housing 

towards the by-pass. More policing. Stop further building. Wheelie bins needed; sacks attract rats. More 

dog mess bins. More liaison between school and older children and the adult clubs to draw community closer 

and build respect for both young and old - the social environment would be enhanced. Stop housing 

developments in and around the villages. Assess need for more housing. Encourage retail business. Halt infill 

building. Underground cabling. The character of the villages should be kept unspoilt. Encourage more 



recycling with a plastic bottle bin. Less new housing to protect countryside and the size of the village. The 

enforcement of the requests to stop dogs fouling pavements and footpaths. The removal of "shingle" on 

pavements in centre of village. Plant more trees. Resuscitate a village pond. Hanging baskets and trees. 

Resist any plans for localised waste incineration plants. Slowing down of traffic in Rickinghall. Provide 

Wheelie bins for refuse collection particularly Walsingham Mews. Maintain village as it is. Protect by visible 

policing. Enhance by sufficient lighting and keep clean. More management of tree growth hedges etc to 

smarten it up. Careful planning of new houses. Force people to park off road in their garages as per their 

deeds. No more building. Wheelie bins to prevent vermin. Make sure wheelie bins are provided. Don't keep 

building houses everywhere. Have a park where people can sit and relax with trees and flower beds. Clamp 

down on litter dropping. Get rid of stones on paths. Limit the number of new houses. Keep community small. 

Very fond of it as it is. A policeman on the street. More regular /random police patrols. Provision of 

wheelie bins for refuse. Enforcement of speed limit and anti-litter laws. I like it as it is. A local Police 

station. A policeman on the beat being seen in the villages again. More open space in the middle of the 

village. Additional park/garden area. Reduce dog fouling. Encourage people to walk to benefit local shops 

and services. Improve Botesdale playing field. Support local facilities and maintain the community spirit - 

don't turn into a small town. No large housing or commercial development. Leave well alone. Groups working 

together. Create a sense of community as too many people only sleep here. The planting of hedges and more 

wild life areas. Slow down traffic. A community group to keep the village tidy. Educate the young to take a 

pride in their village. Establish a heritage group in the village to establish regular events in he village. In 

Spain this is done by local fiestas. Local shops tax relief. No Industry. Resist further expansion, i.e. no 

increase in population. Screen the by-pass to reduce traffic noise. If new housing is to be built, to be kept 

in keeping with style of village. Continue signage and maintenance of footpaths. Wildflower planting in open 

spaces. Reduction of light pollution from street lights. Local police. Shorten the northern approach to the 

by-pass to prevent all traffic going through the villages. Stop infilling. High density housing will destroy 

village. Grants should be sought to buy up set-aside land twixt Botesdale and Redgrave to P.O.S. and 

conservation area. Compulsory purchase of Redgrave Hall lake for village amenity. Speed bumps would be 

an asset. I think most people in the villages look after their properties and the environment extremely well. 

Help and encouragement given to people to upkeep their property in a traditional manner. Ensure no 

unsympathetic buildings are built. Less traffic allowed through village. Review of traffic management; 

provide more information on parish affairs. Playground improvements and more village walks. Calm traffic: 

promote alternative energy schemes. More preservation of trees; stop building in the copse. Apply local 

planning laws rigorously - retain trees and green spaces. Fences and trees need to be planted along by-pass 

to reduce noise pollution. New road surfaces in the village and by-pass to reduce noise further. Lobby US 

Air Force to vary flight patterns. Not to build houses in every nook and cranny, losing the Suffolk feel. 

Make people take home their dog muck. Provide bus shelters. Communal land could be built up by 

generations into an area of beauty never to be built on E.G. a wood. Limit new housing and limit heavy 

industry. Teach children respect and responsibility for where they live. No more housing development. 

Notice should be taken of the Parish Council's views. Make dog owners clear up after their dogs. Roads and 

Lanes widen for access to major points of village. Take cars off the Street. Dog owners should clear up 

after their dogs. The footpaths should be for everybody. Keep in touch with residents and hold open 

meetings/debates. More police on the beat. Wheelie bins for garden waste. Increased police presence. 

Strict planning controls and to listen to locals opinions. Visible community policing. More neighbourhood 

community within others. Get younger people involved. No developments. The rubbish along the new bypass 

is an absolute disgrace. Stop Dog fouling. More consideration given to style and quality of buildings. 

Continued maintenance of footpaths. More consideration given to style and quality of buildings. Keep 

children interested in the environment. Ban skate boarding taking place on paths throughout the village. 

Adopt Clean Air Act. More street lights particularly in Park View. Botesdale children's playground. Wheelie 

bins provided to stop bags splitting. Restrict new developments. Train parishioners (some) not to drop litter 

and not to park on foot ways. Better care of roadside verges within the village. Stop infill development - 

losing open areas. Restrict parking on main street. No further developments. Less traffic pollution. Stop 

building so many houses. No more housing/developments of any kind. At present villages have become 

commuter and retirement villages. We need young vibrant people to live and work in locality that will enrich 


our community, shops, trades and businesses. 


The village and its future need to be viewed strategically. Present development free for all is not tolerated 

in other villages. Why here? The development behind the old butchers shop seems to flout all development 

rules - overlooking, blocking light, The village needs to make its voice heard before the last vestiges of our 

rurality are sold to the highest bidder. All vestiges of green space within the villages will be gone with the 

Greyhound development - more houses, cars, security lights. 

Q82 Do you think the Villages should be kept clean and tidy by .....? 

OK as it is. Good enough already. Satisfied with existing. The Spring Clean Day would be the same people 

cleaning up after the same people. Street cleaning. Sweeping is good, maybe more time or money needed to 

be even better. I think the village is clean and tidy. Our village sweeper does a good job currently. Should 

be kept clean by the villagers themselves. Satisfied with services provided. Village in Bloom competition. 

Pick up the litter ourselves - it won't kill us. Education of all school age children especially teenagers. Path 

sweeping is good but needs more time and manpower. Need more street sweeping services. Dog fouling is a 

real problem. Needs to be greater conscience & awareness. In general things are not too bad. Occasional 

lapses - e.g. litter bin outside Fish & Chip shop. Improve paths by tarmacadam not cheap tar and stone. It 

seems quite clean to me. Generally well maintained. How can a path of pea shingle be swept ? Providing 

wheelie bins so rats can't drag refuse around. We think it is quite well maintained as it is. Everyone should 

be responsible - if you see rubbish, pick it up. Provide more litter bins especially near shops and takeaways. 

We feel the village is clean and tidy. Stones on the paths are still being carried into the house daily. A bylaw 

should require each person to clean their own frontage. More bins. Dog fouling is sometimes a problem. 

Providing more bins. I think everyone should take it upon themselves to pick up rubbish if they see it. 

Everyone is responsible. Prevention of air pollution by coal burning residents. 

Q83 

What solutions would reduce the problems of dog fouling? 

As a dog-owner, what will be done about cat fouling? Dog mess bins should have plastic bags provided. More 

rubbish bins required. None outside Co-op and Newsagent's one is a plastic bin and is always full. I think a 

design of dog mess bins could be made to attach to existing rubbish bins. Encourage people to clean up after 

their dogs. Remind owners of their responsibilities. I recognise the difficulty of catching the owners of 

dogs which foul footpaths. Keep dogs on leads on roads & footpaths through village. Ban dogs. Dog fouling 

is better. Use doggy bags. Publicity to increase social awareness. Unaware of any problem. The roads are 

almost mess free; fields do not matter. Get someone to clear it up. Keep dogs at home. Dogs cannot read. 

The road sweeper could do more to clear up after offenders. Empty bins. We have problems with 

neighbour's cats. This is far more of a problem. Teach the owners that they have a duty to clean up behind 

their pet! Path by Maypole Meadow gets fouled. Notice there? Put owners names in shop windows. Don't 

allow dogs on the street. Empty the dog poo onto the owners carpets. Sue the owners. Only 1 dog per 

family regulations. Naming and shaming. A roll of recycled plastic bag with notice in a couple of areas would 

help. Don’t experience this problem. Ban dogs. It's not just dogs - look at the horse droppings. It is up to 

the dog owner to take pride in their village and clear up after their dog. No use nominating exercise areas as 

most dogs seem to foul on pavements when on lead and being taken to open fields. 

Q85 

Do any of the local roads, lanes, bridleways and paths need improvement? 

More regular cutting of paths. Lighting and road surface in Water Lane. Mostly they are good, but they do 

need to be maintained. Water Lane! I would like to see a speed restriction of 10 mph in Water Lane. Water 

Lane, more lights, road repairs, verges need cutting. Potholes in Water Lane. Footpaths need clearing of 



nettles, especially down side of path opposite the Post Office. Grass and hedge cutting. Farmers not 

ploughing too close to path or over it altogether. Footpaths deliberately blocked, eroded and illegally built 

on. Parish Council blind to this - aware but take no action! Perhaps Ramblers Association would take action. 

E.g. Footpath on White Horse Fields to Garden House Lane. It would be nice to have the grass verge reestablished 

at the bottom of Water Lane. The cinder path coming from the fields to The Street is often 

made worse by nettles - it's a narrow space anyway. Foliage to be cut back. No little stones on path. 

Restrict parking. The Drift needs resurfacing - puddles. Lighting in some roads off of Street. Hedges in 

BackHills. They want to keep rubbish growing off the footpaths. Would be nice to have bridleways as the 

roads are becoming too dangerous for riding. Lanes bridleways and paths need more trimming in summer for 

walkers. Some footpaths and bridleways not very accessible to ramblers. The Drift - footpath required. 

Footpaths need more frequent maintenance. Removal of litter from paths and bridleways. Mill Rd to take 

account of Simonds coach use. Fen Lane. Back Hill Rd needs widening to bridge from school. Path from 

Warren la to Ryders Way is untidy and hedge obstructs it. Burnt out cars removed from Bridlewell Lane 

footpath. Bridlewell Lane lighting also kept clear to be able to walk under by pass. Ditches need digging out 

to stop waterlogging. Paths cut more often. Public Footpaths need grass cutting more often. Also a lot of 

rats in the ditches. Footpaths are too often overgrown before receiving attention. Signposted circular 

walking routes please. No expansion of the village. Mill Lane , Rickinghall requires surface repairs. Many of 

the public footpaths were overrun with nettles last summer making it impossible to use them. More frequent 

grass cutting in summer. South end of Bridewell Lane where it becomes a footpath - very wet / frequently 

impassable. More maintenance and repairs to minor roads. Lanes need passing areas - they get broken up at 

sides. Bridleways need cleaning up and trimming, but not too much. Provision of footpaths on dangerous 

corners. By-pass crossings should be signposted. The footpaths need more cutting back. Overgrown not 

easy to walk on. Provision of a footpath along The Drift and Mill Road to Chapel Lane. Footpaths need to be 

kept free of rubbish and hedges trimmed. Paths B8, B11, R16, B1 need reinstating. Flooding problem in 

Bridewell lane needs serious attention. Drainage on Bridewell lane. Some of the footpaths around Botesdale 

are not accessible. Bridewell Lane resurface. Bridewell Lane culvert needs clearing - a large blockage 

opposite last cottage - keep tipping lorries off the lane - its far too small to take large motors. Pavements 

overgrown, street lighting, hedges. Footpath to Hinderclay Road. Footpaths need to be kept cut. The gravel 

system is unkind to feet & shoes also hits cars. The path in Botesdale Street. Tarmac it again. The stones 

are lose. If children fall on them they hurt a lot. By-roads some pot holes. Footpaths should be 

tarmacadamed. Some are too rough - danger of twisted ankles. Not always clear where to go. Why do we 

have loose gravel on pavements? Footpath at top of Bridewell Lane gets flooded in Winter. Path from 

Bridewell across field becomes impassable in Winter. Excess vegetation on bridleways in Summer. The Drift 

needs to be one-way. More regular cutting. Bridewell Lane footpath. Eradicate weeds on the sides of the 

lanes; remove litter and sweet papers. Do not use "Gritting" on pavements - it spreads everywhere and wears 

away too quickly. Some overgrown. The present pathway surfaces all need replacing. Footpaths behind Bell 

Hotel. Keep the paths clear of weeds grass etc so you can push a buggy. Footpath needed to Health Centre 

and Chapel Lane. Get rid of gravel on paths. Water Lane footpaths leading to by pass & Broom Hills 

footpaths. Back Hills from school to Redgrave Road needs widening. South end of A143 bypass needs 

decelerating lane urgently. Local footpaths (particularly between bypass and rear of The Street houses) 

need regular maintenance. Path on field behind Parkview bungalows - residents subject to unpleasant smells 

resulting from its use as a regular dog walk. Keep to the path and off my lawn at the front of my house. 

Some local roads need potholes filling. Clearing and trimming in the summer. Bridewell Lane over developed. 

Bad Planning without infrastructure. Most seem well maintained. Clear up loose stones from pavements. 

Bridewell lane - introduce one way traffic as it is too narrow for volume of traffic. More lighting. Public 

paths towards Botesdale common and beyond are continually ploughed up and obscured by farmers. The 

village needs to review current footpath provision which is inadequate. Need for walks with children's needs 

taken into account. Many are not safe to walk or cycle on. Have you ever driven along Briar Lane and West 

Street at night? Standing water in Briar Lane and West Street. West Rd needs footpath. Passing places 

needed in Back Hills. To be more lit up Cherry Tree Lane. Blocked bridleways and incorrect signposting. 

Some paths are very muddy, others overgrown. West Street is not up to taking heavy feed lorries etc. Mill 

Lane Rickinghall should be widened because of all the heavy traffic using it. Road round Rickinghall Common 



should be kept cleaner. Village lanes need widening so that pedestrians are safe from speeding cars. Perhaps 

a 20 mph for some of them. Stop Bridlewell Lane becoming so flooded. Road widening from school to bottom 

where road meets Redgrave Road. Some footpaths are not passable during the summer months. Footpaths 

should be kept open and not left to become overgrown. Bridleways and footpaths need to be kept tidy 

(Hedge trimming etc) Road from Redgrave Road to St Botolphs School needs widening or passing places. 

Some are ploughed up. Mill Road needs making up and a proper road provided now to the A143 Bury to 

Norwich Road. The Drift floods and the surface is terrible. 

Storm water drainage on Hinderclay Rd/Mill Lane is poor. The only effective drain is outside Willow House. 

The drain outside East Lodge actually acts like a spring in heavy rain and is in any case, on the higher side of 

the road. The drain on the junction of Church Meadow is above the natural draining line of the water flow. 

The drain outside Willow House becomes blocked routinely by leaves, grass, twigs, paper etc and causes 

flooding of the road in virtually every heavy downpour. It is the only functioning drain in over a mile of 

roadways. If those responsible for siting the drains cared to visit the area in heavy rain they would see and 

understand the problem! It is no good visiting when the weather is fine. 

Q86 Is there anything else that we have missed? Please comment on anything that you would have 

liked to see in the questionnaire and was not included, or use this space to amplify answers to previous 

questions. 

There is insufficient Police presence in the villages. Not only to deter crime but also speeding and heavy 

vehicles. I think that a larger part of this questionnaire could be used to gauge local feelings on the large 

scale developments that we are being threatened with in the near future, and how this would effect traffic, 

schools, the health centre, crime levels etc. How about a plastics bank? So much plastic to dispose of. 

Much of these questions are possibly an intrusion of a resident's privacy. Also feel this document is of no 

value when or if completed. Residents views and feelings are always ignored. The proposed (passed) entrance 

and exit adjacent to the former Drs. Surgery should be given an award for the New Century's biggest 

blunder ever in Rickinghall Street, rather proving Mid-Suffolk, Suffolk Council and Parish Councils are out of 

touch with resident's views and feelings. Residents pay for this non-committal - sad. Rickinghall cars parked 

on road when facility available to take them off the road - prevents easy access to other property. There 

are too many houses being built, this leads to noise, traffic congestion at work and school times, and other 

nuisance factors when people are overcrowded. Houses are built too small and close together, gardens are 

too small, children have nowhere to play in safety and people are tempted to trespass on land they should 

not, as there is no space for this sort of freedom, which people do need. I would like to see male dominated 

secret organisations banned from the village. We wondered why there were no questions about our local 

primary school. 

I am a single person and feel that although I have a discount for the council tax I still pay too much . The 

main concerns are children and education. Garden waste should be collected or a tip closer to home. We 

need a bus shelter also a policeman. Wider choice of more frequent buses. Can police local contact numbers 

be displayed at all times on the notice boards mentioned in Q 67? It would be nice to have bottle banks and 

newspaper bins up in Botesdale as old people cannot get down to Rickinghall. Dumping of soil on the corner of 

Hinderclay Road and Mill lane; this has been raised by two feet in six years. The village needs to be kept 

growing but carefully, we need to have enough local employment to encourage the youngsters to stay so they 

don’t need to run cars as this is expensive and not very green! Also the houses need to be affordable. I 

don't think large estates are the answer but a selective few to keep the village healthily busy. 

Should consider how results are to be disseminated. Sports activities are limited by the lack of suitable 

indoor area such as a sports barn. It should be located conveniently for the school but be considered a 

community facility. I would like to have been asked about the so-called Road improvements that have taken 

place in the village. This is where a horrific amount of money has been wasted by the council and it looks a 

complete mess. It has no impact on slowing down traffic. No more building apart from infilling without 

provision of shops and other facilities. A new school in Rickinghall to address three problems; overcrowding 



at Botesdale school; problems associated with collecting and delivering children (parking, speeding in the 

Street). In the event of future building in Botesdale the present school would then be able to accommodate 

incoming children. Then Rickinghall children would be able to walk or bike to school, thereby improving their 

health (and possibly that of whoever accompanies them). I would like to see a Police Constable WALK 

through the Street (and Chapel Lane/Park View) occasionally of an evening. 

I have not seen the youth questionnaire so this may well cover my point. There seems to be a growing body 

of teenagers in the villages and I feel their needs are as important, if not more so, than mine, and hope they 

will be taken into good account. A roundabout at junction of eastern end of village street with B1113 from 

Redgrave towards the A143 would be of considerable benefit at this dangerous junction. Narrow section of 

Bridewell La between the Street and Chapel La is already most dangerous to both vehicular and pedestrian 

traffic. Recent and projected housing development is bound to exacerbate it. Immediate provision of ONE 

WAY regulations therefore essential. Expert opinion should be sought on which way and to (?) upon the 

dangerous junction of Chapel Lane and Mill Road. A roundabout at junction of eastern end of village street 

with B1113 from Redgrave towards the A143 would be of considerable benefit. Bothered about that 

additional housing is stretching the Health Centre and school, e.g. waiting time for appointments is getting 

longer and increased school numbers mean dangerous parking. Would like to see wheelie bins introduced in 

the village. It would be lovely to have whole village activities/fund raising like garden open days etc. There 

is an urgent need for a village disposal site for non compostable garden waste. The size & population of the 

two villages justifies the need for a public convenience. Despite uniform wear and tear only half of the 

street footways have recently been resurfaced Why? The work was not completed because the surplus 

shingle has not been removed Why? Whose responsibility is it to see the contractors carry out their work 

properly? There seems to be a need for somewhere for young people to meet others. 

I like living in this village very much - plenty of recreational activities. The main street looks very nice since 

the by pass was built - very good school and health centre. (Vehicles parked both sides of the Street in 

dangerous positions.) More police presence at night, not just drive through. When we had a police station in 

the villages we did not have half the problem with vandalism. Young people cannot afford the price of houses 

here. The Co-op needs to have more competitive prices to encourage people to shop there. Something needs 

doing about the collection of rubbish - do we really need three collection days? Walsingham Mews needs 

some large wheelie bins for the rubbish, cats like nothing better than tearing open the bags - what a mess. 

Why is the village being turned into a car park? Having lived in the Village for over seventy years one 

wonders what has happened to our Village Street. It seems to be nothing but a CAR PARK. 

More village activities i.e. Bonfire night, Christmas Drinks etc. Parish magazine is excellent would be better 

if it could include more local info and businesses. i.e. often drive through local villages and see notice for 

something - there must be so many local businesses that would benefit from this, also helpful to us, to be 

known about. 

Q 19 no section to fill in job of self employed people. 

If there is to be more housing in the two villages, which is probably inevitable, then hopefully it will not be 

too extensive and will enhance the appearance of the picturesque villages which contain many lovely old 

houses. A major concern however is the effect it would have on the local school, St Botolph's, and the 

Health Centre. How will they cope with the extra pupils/patients? 

I would like to see a plaque on the wall of "Cambria" to commemorate BASIL BROWN 

By remaining anonymous no organization able to contact and further any comments. There should be more 

encouragement to recycle. In other area of Norfolk the council provides bags to store glass/paper/plastic 

etc and they are collected alongside the normal refuse. We use the recycling bins in Rickinghall but there 

are none for plastic. If separate bags were provided, even colour coded, it would provide incentive for others 

to recycle. Especially people who have difficulties getting stuff to the recycle bins (i.e. elderly people and 

those with no transport). 

Would pay more council tax if I could see something tangible as a result i.e. more village landscaping/open 

area for recreation, more street lighting etc. Would also like to see something done for young people to get 



them off the streets at night. It would be nice to go for a "Botesdale in Bloom" as well as open gardens. 

Development whilst appreciate that over the years development has been needed do not agree that houses 

and bungalows should be built so close together with such little gardens as to cause claustrophobia. It could 

be good if councils could ensure that the sardine type building developments e.g. Pennyfields and 

Wheatfields are not repeated. 

Keeping class numbers to minimum to encourage individual learning, as numbers are rising in the school and 

the school does not have capacity. 

I think that Rickinghall/Botesdale is a lovely place to live The only problems we come across are traffic 

ones. If new houses are to be built they must be made to have either garages or plenty of parking areas. 

Cars parked on the street outside homes are problems for other people trying to get access to their own 

homes. We want dustbins or wheelie bins. Moved to village two and a half years ago. Enjoy living here. Due 

to the increasing number of cars each household has there seems to be a growing problem of car parking. 

Many houses have driveways and garages. However, SOME are only provided with a parking space which is 

NOT near their home. Thus the people park their car outside their house instead, on the pavement. This 

makes roads harder to drive safely on and pavements dangerous to pedestrians. Some people even park very 

near junctions or opposite a driveway which causes untold problems and angers drivers! A Village Car Park 

would help when people visit the Chip Shop, etc. and any new planning applications should take parking into 

account. 

Wheelie bins together with recycling collection would contribute greatly to the environment and aesthetics 

of the village - black bags etc. on the streets are unsightly and a health hazard for at least 2 days each 

week. General comment - dog fouling is a particular nuisance especially for those with young children or poor 

eyesight/mobility. This fouling is not restricted to "hard" areas such as pavements or grass areas, but is 

also found on public footpaths through and adjacent to farmland. Dog owners must be personally responsible 

and to this end more rigorous enforcement and awareness must take place. 

I have used Brome recycling centre in the past but have found it to be too dangerous, because of the high 

step ups and also slippery when wet. Bins full 8 time out of 10. Thus the only way to empty sacks is to stand 

on the rails. Therefore I have to pay Onyx for orange sacks for my garden waste. These are then put in with 

the household waste. Not very environmentally friendly. 

I object to paying for a refuse collection service that we have to provide our own refuse sacks/ bags for. 

Other councils in Suffolk manage to provide wheelie bins. What are the current targets for complying with 

the EEC directives on recycling? With the land fill sites being gradually phased out, anything must be better 

than the service we have now. 

I could help a good neighbour scheme by visiting, collecting medicines, shopping locally, babysitting. 

I think having a get together evening for divorced parents would be good - then I could meet a few more 

people. 

Thank you for including us in this Appraisal- we feel a bit left out here in Allwood Green. 

A positive discrimination approach to the composition of local groups including the parish Council to ensure 

representation by real locals not 'newcomers' with their own agendas. 

I realise that this outside your remit, but my daughter has just moved into the village and is unable to get a 

place for her four and half year old daughter at the local school. She is deeply concerned as at present she 

is having to drive to Hopton. The time it takes - the petrol consumed, environment effected - not able to 

make friends locally - I'm unable to help in collecting my granddaughter. My daughter went to a village school 

and she wants the same for her daughter. This is not a good situation. 

We would like our daughters to attend St Botolphs but the school is full. Can future planning take into 

account services which will be overloaded. 

We feel that the villages of Botesdale and Rickinghall are pleasant and desirable places to live that have 

preserved their identity. However we do think that some improvement could be made in providing facilities 

for teenagers and young people. For instance this could take the form of safe transport to and from local 

facilities e.g. swimming pool, cinema, night club. 



Use the area behind the Greyhound PH as a public car park. Wheelie or separate bins for households to 

separate their own waste for recycling and separate collections. Provide public toilet in addition to the 

village halls and in a central location e.g. behind the Greyhound car park. 

A bus shelter for Botesdale is very necessary - outside Simonds or across the road. 

Dog mess is a major problem. Inadequate street lighting at the Chestnuts. Speeding is a problem; perhaps 

road calming could control it. Botesdale and Rickinghall should work together. Our villages are so close and 

Botesdale looks a lot nicer than Rickinghall. For example the street lamps look nice in Botesdale. Rats were 

a big problem last year because of the climate etc. But if MSDC would sort out wheelie bins people would 

not leave rubbish out for cats to scratch open for rats to feast on. Common sense needs to be used but the 

council would save money if they didn't have a rat problem and gave us wheelie bins. 

There was no question asking whether we were content living here. We are. A statistic on others 

appreciation would have made a positive impact on this survey. 

We feel that more could be done by local people to promote the activities of the "Twinning Association". Do 

local people know its aims and objectives ? 

Providing of wheelie bins to keep rubbish contained like they have in many other councils including recycling 

bins for home use a brown bin for one thing a green bin for normal waste. A lot is spent on refuse collection 

yet we don't even get bin liners provided. Mid Suffolk is very behind with the times other districts have why 

not us ? We need to see where our money is going on this service. 

Q 48-50. I have not been affected by any of these crimes and I am not concerned by their current levels 

however if levels were to rise significantly I would be concerned. 

Q 37-43. I would like to see any development to be kept small. If any new estates were built they should 

have off street parking for at least 3 cars per house and areas of land for children to play. The priority 

should be suitable community housing not developers' profits. There are a number of local aviators who 

would love to see some set aside farm land cut into a landing strip, Plus the use of a farm building for 

hangerage which would enable local pilots to fly into the Rickinghall area and contribute to local economy. 

Primarily for micro light which now have to have a noise certificate of compliance. The sight of a few of 

these machines in the air would encourage membership of groups such as East Anglian Girls Flying Corps. 

Offer flights to the youngsters. I would like a video rental shop in the villages. Having moved from an areas 

where wheelie bins and composting bins were provided we have found black bin bags a chore. We used to 

back onto open fields and never had problems with rats. We have found a dead one in the garden and seen 

live ones running around. If proper bins were provided it would be easier to segregate rubbish and keep the 

area free of vermin. Being a dog owner I still can't believe some owners seem unable to carry a plastic bag . 

Maybe with dog bins it would be easier. Bin bags look untidy and become scattered by animals - please 

provide wheelie bins in Wheatfields area. You can never seem to get an appointment at the Doctors if you 

require a late timed appointment - they don't seem to cater for working people. They think if you need to 

see a Doctor you should not be at work, which is not always the case. There isn't enough for the younger 

members of the villages to do. There are plenty of complaints about them sitting on the memorial and causing 

trouble, but no-one gives them anything to do or anywhere to go, except for the Friday night club, which 

isn't run during the holidays and is run by volunteers. I think the gravel on the paths is the most money 

wasting idea ever! When children or old people fall over it does a lot of damage. Also the street cleaner must 

find it difficult ot clean the paths and I can't remember a day that I haven’t had to remove my shoes to 

remove a piece of gravel that was hurting my foot. 

As grandparents we strongly think a footpath along the route we outlined is very necessary as many young 

children walk this way. Also many elderly people from Parkview walk to the shop and Doctors. There is a lot 

of traffic now as more people use this road to gain access to the bypass, plus the buses all come from behind 

the garage. I think there should be more facilities made for the teenagers like local discos. As I don't have 

teenagers now but used to have & it seems to me that Boring Botesdale is filled with mainly old fuddy 

duddys. And in their opinion the teenagers of the villages have no say or anything going for them. I have 

always said if you are under 5 and over 60 years old you will fit in to the village life. If you are in between 

these ages you might as well forget it! 



On adjacent page under 'neighbourhood watch' please show meeting place as the Bell Hotel. Will the result 

of this survey be fully covered in the parish magazine? Will there be a public forum in one of the village halls 

to discuss reasons for any change that could be implemented? We are concerned about the expansion of St 

Botolph's school if housing development goes ahead. Class sizes already stand at 30 in some year groups. 

Will the Parish council bring weight to bear on the County Council education committee to limit class sizes? 

Further expansion will only weaken the quality of education as teaching resources are stretched beyond 

reasonable limits. Questionnaire appears fairly comprehensive but will comments be considered? We would 

like to be forewarned of any extra building about to be allowed in the villages. The school cannot cope with 

more children, so, limit future housing or ensure the school has further funding to match the local needs. I 

am concerned that the village has grown considerably over the last 5 years. The school is already 

overflowing, and there is the danger of losing the 'village appeal' which drew me here in the first place. 

Would recycle more if bins and boxes were provided as Suffolk County Council suggested in their survey a 

few months ago. Independent people with no transport would be grateful. Newspapers pile up quickly and 

are heavy. Request for wheelie bins to dispose of household waste more tidily and to dispose of garden 

waste. 

I think that any increase of new housing Q 38 will lead to greater increases in the points in Q 45 by groups 

of young bored people. How long will it be before the War Memorial itself is defaced. Having recently 

moved into the village, working fulltime and no children, it is difficult to know what goes on in village in terms 

of social activities, parish Council etc. More info in parish magazine would help. List of local services (e.g. 

Library van) in key places such as the Post Office. Research into specific business and service which would 

be welcome in or near village.(e.g. more frequent farmers markets, teashop or restaurant, adult education 

and training. Questions about viability of car pooling to supplement public transport and reduce car use. 

There is a growing problem in the village with young drivers creating a nuisance with lunatic driving styles. I 

have spoken to our 'Community Officer' whom I haven't seen since (2 months ago) about this problem, but it 

seems a "vigilante" approach has a lot more effect. Will it take an accident with one of our children before 

the police do something. We all know who they are, don't we? Partner agrees with the above. Also many 

friends and neighbours have expressed similar views. 

Despite the by-pass the Street is used as a short cut between Norwich, Thetford and the Lophams. It is 

also used quite illegally by Heavy Goods Vehicles, farm vehicles and coaches. Enforce laws to prevent 

skateboarding around war memorial. 

More action to pick up dead leaves in winter: Commercial industrial activity taking place in workshops and 

garages in Church Meadow, including the dumping of old cars on the service area. I think the service we get 

for the amount of council tax we pay is atrocious. We get our bins emptied once a week and thrown back 

onto the grass. That apart we have nothing at all. No one even clears the roads of snow or ice; no 

pavements here so no kerbs to keep clean. In the 3 years I have lived in Rickinghall I have never seen a 

policeman in the villages. No street lighting. Planning consent for additional housing is having a big impact on 

local infrastructure. The school, Health Centre etc are under pressure. Planning for future to include these 

issues is very important. Botesdale village is socially steered towards the elderly with very little going on for 

the 30 - 50 - age group 

Would like to see more restaurants in the village - to celebrate without driving. Have we made enough 

provision for more water supplies if the population doubles in the next 20 years? With reference to garden 

waste, I feel very strongly about this subject. There are many elderly people in the villages who are not able 

to get to Brome Recycling centre and there are no sites here. I raised this with MSDC on 6thJuly'92 but to 

no avail. I received a letter from Rickinghall PC dated 17/08/92 saying it would await the outcome of the 

Sept meeting at MSDC. Almost ten years have passed. 

Whilst there is a really good school in Botesdale that serves all three villages plus Hinderclay and Redgrave. 

I feel it needs enlarging because of new children moving into the area cannot all attend. If more and more 

houses are going to be built in this area, we really must think long term and hard about accommodating all the 

children. 

As a member of the public that would from time to time rest when climbing Back hills ( that's from the Hair 



Place to the Health Centre) I should like to see a public seat placed half way up the hill. Not being always 

able to carry all my bottles and jars, I should like to see a bottle bank in Botesdale. How about a quiet 

corner of the village hall car park. Although I am aware of the problems in this area, a bus shelter on both 

sides of the road near Simonds would be most helpful. The pick up point opposite Simonds is often very busy 

and on wet, windy or very hot days, shelter from the elements would be great. Please think about this point. 

Better parking at local school. The school also needs a lot safer access, there are busses and children all 

over the place. Zebra crossing, lollipop lady or something similar is needed. Accident waiting to happen. 

Speeding down Backhills during school times is also a problem. Road closed during school open/ closed hours, 

8.30 to 9am and 3.30 to 4pm would be a lot safer (Access only using the Drift). Footpath for pedestrians 

(Backhills). Bike lane whole of The Street so bikes can keep off the path. More information on sudden 

changes to local environment. E.g. Rows of trees adjacent to Mill Road. Restriction on building between 

Villages and Bypass. 

The street signs throughout Botesdale should be continued in Rickinghall. More doggie bins should be 

provided to encourage owners to clear after themselves. Going back to my first point there is no viable 

reason as to why we can't have wheelie bins. The bus service, shops and other village facilities are very 

important to retain, especially for the elder residents and those without their own transport. We are 

particularly concerned as we have heard that Simonds are considering moving from Botesdale. No question 

on use of computer, internet etc which could be useful if considering a tele-cottage or similar. 

Well covered questionnaire. 

I like living here.

Annex 2 - Household Comments - Botesdale - Suffolk County Council

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?