Major bridge temporary speed limit set to continue

Traffic on the Orwell Bridge in Suffolk was brought to a standstill after the crash last month

A speed restriction on a major road bridge will continue for at least another two weeks due to the "complexity" of the repairs.

Emergency services were called to the A14 Orwell Bridge in Suffolk at 11:20 BST on 9 May after a crash involving a lorry and a car.

The lorry crossed the central reservation from westbound to eastbound, forcing the road to be closed in both directions on the river crossing south of Ipswich.

National Highways initially said the 40mph speed limit would be in place for two weeks after the crash, but would now be lifted once repairs were completed later this month.

The bridge was closed for 90 minutes after the accident, causing heavy disruption with diversions in and out of Ipswich.

The temporary speed limit was put in place while the repair works were carried out. The speed limit on the bridge is usually 60mph.

The speed restriction was in place for safety and then for repairs to the central reservation

A spokesman for National Highways said: "The central barrier is scheduled for repair on 15 June, and this is expected to take around seven days.

"Once the work is complete, the temporary speed restriction... is expected to be lifted.

"Due to the complexity of the repair, specialist parts were needed which has meant the temporary speed restriction has remained in place for a number of weeks.

"This has been for the safety of those using the bridge and we appreciate road users' patience while this issue is resolved."

The Orwell Bridge - between junctions 56 and 57 of the A14 - is a major link for lorries carrying containers between the Port of Felixstowe and the Midlands, and carries 60,000 vehicles a day.