BUNGAY'S historic town centre is set to be improved, thanks to �50,000 set aside by Suffolk County Council.The money is part of a �1 million package the county is to provide to address local concerns about traffic and transport - and is to look at the possibility of a one-way system in the town centre.

BUNGAY'S historic town centre is set to be improved, thanks to �50,000 set aside by Suffolk County Council.

The money is part of a �1 million package the county is to provide to address local concerns about traffic and transport - and is to look at the possibility of a one-way system in the town centre.

A spokesman said: “We'll be consulting on a possible one way system for the main street, which would let us widen the pavements and make the streets look much nicer. If agreed the main works would follow in 2010/11.”

Guy McGregor, the county's portfolio holder for highways and public transport said yesterday that the Bungay investment was a first step towards an improvement scheme for the historic town centre. But he emphasised that Bungay's long term need was for a bypass to take all heavy traffic away from the town centre.

“A bypass is required across the Waveney to get traffic out of the town centre, and a quality design would enhance that rather than detract from it,” he said.

“But in the meantime, to make life more palatable, we have �50,000 available to improve the historic town centre. Generally it will look at improving lay-out in terms of traffic flow, and help to make it look less grotty. But the only proper solution is to get through traffic out of the town centre.”

As previously reported that is included in a list of schemes to be looked at beyond 2013.

Mr McGregor said some of the �50,000 to be spent in the next financial year for Bungay would be for a study, but there would also be improvement work carried out.

The news was generally welcomed by the Mayor, John Groom.

“Anything that will help to improve the town centre and make it more viable and help the traffic flow is welcome,” he said. “Any injection of cash to make Bungay more appealing to tourists has to be welcomed.”

But he added: “The question of a one way system around our streets has to be looked at very carefully.”

In addition Suffolk will be investing almost �3.6 million “on schemes to tackle congestion, improve accessibility and help reduce the impact of improve of traffic in our communities. Our schemes will make a significant difference to those communities most affected by heavy traffic and future development pressures.”

Another �3.6 million will be spent to finish a scheme at Stowmarket, and work will start on a �3 million scheme in Ipswich. A sum of �1.3 million will go on schemes to reduce road accident casualties throughout the county.