Plans submitted for £64m A12 road scheme

The A12 in Suffolk links two of the county's biggest towns, Lowestoft and Ipswich

Plans for a £64m road improvement scheme have been submitted by a council.

The upgrades to the A12 in Suffolk, which links the county's two biggest towns Lowestoft and Ipswich, include dualling the carriageway on the outskirts of Woodbridge.

In October, Suffolk County Council said it had secured £54m of government funding from the Department for Transport for the scheme.

If given the green light, it is hoped construction work will begin in mid 2025 and be completed by mid 2027.

'Future-proof'

The plans aim to ease congestion and delays on the A12 particularly during peak periods.

Extra traffic is expected from the Brightwell Lakes development and Sizewell C nuclear power station.

The works include widening the A12 at Woodbridge to a dual carriageway, improving seven roundabout junctions, creating a mobility hub at Martlesham and improving facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and bus users.

Developer contributions from Brightwell Lakes and Sizewell C will fund the rest of the costs.

Richard Smith, Conservative councillor and cabinet member for economic development, transport strategy and waste, said the improvements would "future-proof the A12 and deliver major benefits to local communities".

He said: "[The A12] is a critical bottleneck in accessing the East Suffolk coast, which is the location of several Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, external, including Sizewell C.

"This funding will allow us to meet the timescales of Sizewell C [the proposed nuclear power station] and minimise congestion and network disruption during its construction."