A group from Bungay has claimed a proposed one-way system in the town would cause motorists to travel a combined total of thousands of extra miles every year.

The team of 21 people, who are against a proposal to make St Mary's Street one way, conducted a traffic survey at Priory Lane last week.

They said it showed that the system would mean an extra 987 miles will be driven on the town's roads a week – which would mean 51,324 miles a year – if people continued to use that road to some of the town's car parks.

They claim that at current fuel prices this will be an additional combined cost to motorists of more than �8,500 a year.

Bob Prior, who compiled the report, said: 'The survey demonstrated that this scheme has not been properly thought out.'

He said the proposed one-way system would drive people away from the town, and that some of the money could instead be spent on making car parking free during parts of the day.

He added: 'We are not afraid of change; this is just the wrong change for lots of reasons.'

A petition of more than 1,200 names against the proposed one-way system has already been compiled, but last week the team surveyed traffic in Priory Lane from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, to come up with their findings. In total they saw 2,962 cars, with more than 57pc travelling north.

Terry Reeve, town mayor, said that the town council believed the advantages of the potential scheme outweighed the disadvantages.

He said: 'It went to public consultation and the result was that the majority responded in favour of the one-way system along Trinity Street, Wharton Street, Lower Olland Street and St Mary's Street, and that is now what we are working for.

'The town council recognises there are concerns but lets get the scheme in place as an experiment, then we will be able to see the effect it has.'

He added it was difficult to calculate extra miles at this time as no-one knew the exact route people would take. Mr Reeve added an experimental scheme could last anywhere between six and 18 months, but the town council, which is confident it will go ahead, hopes it will not be as long as that.

A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said no decision had yet been made on the potential one way system. Guy McGregor, council portfolio holder for roads, transport and planning, is expected to be given a report into the possible experiment later this month.