Following the second key meeting chaired by David Ruffley MP at which he put pressure on the parties involved to find additional sources of funding to provide the £38,000 needed to alleviate the flooding at Thurston Road, Beyton, the Highways Agency have today announced an additional contribution of £5,000.

In an announcement today, Brian Pitkin of the Highways Agency stated:

'At the meeting held on 6 November 2009 I was asked whether the Highways Agency was prepared to provide a further financial contribution towards the works to improve the ditch alongside Thurston Road, Beyton.

We have already carried out work to identify the area of the A14 from which surface water drains into the ditch at Beyton, together with identifying the location of A14 outfalls. In addition to this we have already offered a contribution of £5,000 towards the works to improve the ditch from our 2009/10 budgets.

I now confirm that we are prepared to contribute a further £5,000 from our 2010/11 budgets towards the improvement of the ditch.'

David Ruffley said:

'This is another step in the right direction. I am hopeful that the Highways Agency's contribution will now be matched by Suffolk County Council and will also encourage other parties to offer a contribution towards the £38,000 needed for the proposed works to alleviate the flooding in Beyton to go ahead.'