Bridge lane closures extended over safety concerns

A potentially unsafe bridge joint was discovered on the Orwell Bridge

Traffic on a major A-road across a river bridge will continue to be reduced to one lane in one direction for "the next couple of weeks" amid safety concerns.

National Highways said a "bridge joint" was discovered in a potentially unsafe condition during a routine inspection of the A14 Orwell Bridge, near Ipswich, on Friday.

Traffic on the westbound carriageway has been reduced to one lane "until further notice", causing delays of up to 30 minutes.

The agency said it was working hard to rectify the defect and to reopen the closed lane.

It said: "The safety of those who work and travel on our road network is our top priority.

"This is a complex operation; planning is already under way and preparatory works are programmed to commence this week.

"These access works are needed to enable the next stage of replacing the necessary components to the bridge structure."

The lane closure is creating delays of up to 30 minutes for westbound traffic using the A14 Orwell Bridge

The Orwell Bridge provides a major link between the Port of Felixstowe and other parts of the UK.

It is often closed during high winds, which causes long tailbacks across Ipswich as drivers find alternative routes.

The bridge is 42 years old and is 1km (0.6 miles) in length.

In 2022, about 60,000 vehicles crossed the bridge each day.

Paul Simon of Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said the impact of closures "overtime is really quite grinding".

"It's costly, the delays in delivering goods, getting people to their places of work," he said.

Mr Simon, who spoke with National Highways on Tuesday, was told funding for upgrading all the joints was unlikely to be released until 2028 at the earliest.

"So we are now speaking with government to try and bring that funding forward," he said.

"It's really important the government understands that without the Orwell Bridge and the wider roads network in Ipswich and around Ipswich... that will have an economic impact on the the country as a whole."

Thomas Horton, a driving instructor who lives in Nacton, Suffolk, said he has had to cancel some lessons, which had affected his livelihood.

He said he had spent 30 minutes stuck in traffic with learner drivers.

"I've got my schedule, people have got theirs, it's causing a real headache," he said.

"I'm going to be losing hundreds of pounds a week because of it, it's pretty significant."