Thank you for following this live page on the travel issues around Ipswich this morning.

You can read more about the Orwell Bridge roadworks on our website here.

Image source, Contributed

Dan Trent, owner of Dan's Coach Travel based in Stowmarket, said it had been "absolutely carnage" on the A14 and around Ipswich this week.

"On Monday, it was one big great headache," he said.

"Tuesday we had a coach get stuck in traffic. [Wednesday] wasn't too bad... but we have got to make some changes coming up."

Mr Trent added on Tuesday he had a coach going from Great Finborough to Alton Water - a journey that usually took his team 45 minutes and instead took an hour and 45 minutes.

"It's causing delays to our customers, passengers, drivers, it's causing them stress that they don't need," he added.

Image source, Ben Parker/BBC

Jack Abbott, Labour MP for Ipswich, is calling for Suffolk County Council to "put in place urgent mitigations to relieve pressure on Ipswich's road network during the partial closure of the Orwell Bridge".

He claims the Conservative-led council has adopted a "do-nothing approach" which he says has been "deeply frustrating".

"The stick your head in the sand and hope this all goes away, we're starting to see the problems with that sort of approach," he says.

The county council says it is committed to working to relieve the traffic issues.

"If Suffolk County Council and the Conservatives want to come to me and come forward with a different set of proposals, I'm all ears, I think we absolutely need to see progress," Abbott continues.

"It's deeply frustrating that five years since they canned the Northern Bypass we've seen such little action here."

George King
BBC News, Suffolk

Image source, Jamie Niblock/BBC

Peter Beard, 64, is a driver for Fryers Transports and said the further works planned for the next few weeks would be "absolutely awful" for his day-to-day travels.

“On Monday I got delayed for 45 minutes getting through the traffic, so I will probably have to leave earlier, and add another 30 minutes to my journey, and this sort of thing will happen everyday for the next six weeks," he said.

“That bridge is an absolute nightmare, but it probably wasn’t built for the traffic that is on it now originally I wouldn’t have thought.

“I have been doing this job for 37 years but it’s just got worse over the years. They need a relief road, put it that way.”

Image source, Vikki Irwin/BBC

Suffolk County Council says it "remains committed to working with the government, MPs, district councils and other stakeholders to develop an effective transport strategy to relieve traffic pressures on the A14".

"Measures such as improving public transport, active travel measures, targeted road upgrades and contingency planning on the Ipswich area transport network all have a part to play in freeing up capacity on the bridge and the A14 for through-traffic such as freight," a spokesperson adds.

George King
BBC News, Suffolk

Image source, Jamie Niblock/BBC

Charlotte McCartney, 36, works for Foxhall Groomers, in Ipswich.

She said the roadworks had been "causing havoc" for her business.

"We lost three customers yesterday because we got stuck in traffic and couldn’t get to the shop on time – and they were regulars," she explained.

“We’ve had quite a few cancellations and some customers just do not consider that you have been stuck in traffic.

“So if it is in Ipswich the average time for a pick-up is about 15 minutes but yesterday when in traffic it took an hour – but if you still have then drop-off so you are actually delayed two hours.

“So unfortunately because of the Orwell bridge now I am having to get to the customers later and some of them are not understanding.

“They say they are not going to use us anymore but it’s not our fault the bridge is closed – we don’t want to hold dogs any longer than we need to.”

Image source, Suffolk County Council

This year there have been numerous calls for the Northern Bypass plan to be put back on the table for consideration following several issues on the A14.

But the plans have been talked about for years.

In 2019, Suffolk County Council launched a public consultation to gauge public interest in plans for a road that would help mitigate traffic issues seen in and around Ipswich.

Three possible routes were proposed that would link the A14/A140 and the A12.

In order to gain government funding, 15,000 new homes would have also been needed, something which hundreds of people protested against.

However in 2020 the plans were abandoned when local authorities failed to agree on the additional housing needed for the funding.

George King
BBC News, Suffolk

Image source, Google

Lesley Watson, owner of Sproughton’s The Shed, an antiques shop which doubles-up as a vintage tearoom, says she has "definitely" seen more traffic in the village as well as lorries.

“It must be annoying because parking is so tight and narrow, and [traffic] does build up, so it would be annoying if you can’t get out of your drive to go to the shop," she says.

“We have a chef that comes in from Felixstowe and he has to be there for 09:00, so he is having to leave a lot earlier than normal to get to work on time - think it is taking 45 minutes.

“Everybody wants those fruit scones nice and hot and warm when they get there so he has to be there.”

Image source, Andrew Woodger/BBC

To compound matters at the bottom of the A137 heading down into Ipswich from the A14, there are contraflow traffic lights on The Strand at Wherstead.

UK Power Networks is carrying out works outside The Oyster Reach/Premier Inn.

It is causing delays for those heading out of Ipswich and on to the Shotley Peninsula - which has two large private schools in the form of Ipswich High and the Royal Hospital School, as well as many children from Ipswich going to Holbrook Academy and the area's state primary schools.

The south bank of the Orwell estuary also has marinas and boatyards in Wherstead, Woolverstone, Pin Mill and Shotley Gate.

The work began on Monday and is due to finish at 18:00 on Thursday, external.

George King
BBC News, Suffolk

Image source, Luke Deal/BBC

Mike Barrett, 67, is the regional manager of FareShare East Anglia, which is based in Ipswich.

The charity collects surplus food and distributes it to organisations that can pass it on to their local community.

“Repairs to the Orwell Bridge are causing us major problems because our fleet of vehicles are being held up, which is delaying food getting out to the charities we support, and that is time critical," he says.

“We understand a repair needs to be done but it is increasing mileage, delivery times, fuel costs and delays – and it puts extra pressure on the staff and volunteer teams.

“It is costing us time and money and it is frustrating for the people we support – it is a bit of a problem at the moment.”

Image source, PA Media

Global superstar Ed Sheeran will be returning home to Ipswich in just over two weeks to perform at Portman Road.

However some are concerned that with the Orwell Bridge works, it could mean some fans are late for the shows.

Dan Trent, owner of Dan's Coach Travel based in Stowmarket, has got bookings for fans.

"We're now going to have to change the pick up times to allow more time so that's more leg work," he said.

"That is a big cash injection for the town and it's just ridiculous that people are going to struggle to get there.

"Let's say if the bridge was open people would be planning on getting there early, supporting local shops and venues, but now they might just get there on time or might be late and go straight to the concert, so Ipswich town centre will be missing out now."

George King
BBC News, Suffolk

Image source, Contributed

Martin Wegg, 59, works at the Port of Felixstowe and lives in Ipswich.

“The tailbacks are causing so much grief in the town and I am on a motorcycle – I usually use a car but there is no way I am using a car at the moment," he says.

“I am leaving for work at about 14:10 and getting to work at about 14:55, so it is adding about another 25 minutes to my journey. We need another way into the port.”

Image source, John Fairhall/BBC

Drones images have shown the state of the roads around Wherstead and on the approach to the Orwell Bridge.

Traffic is moving slowly on the eastbound carriageway due to the lane closure.

Image source, John Fairhall/BBC

Image source, John Fairhall/BBC

BBC Radio Suffolk is covering the traffic and roadwork problems around the Orwell Bridge on air.

You can listen live here on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Luke Deal/BBC

Stella Morland-Pearce, owner of Copdock Kennels & Cattery, says her staff have been delayed due to the residual queues the Orwell Bridge works are causing on the A12.

She explains drivers are using the old A12, now London Road, as a "rat run" to avoid the Copdock Interchange.

"Everything has slowed down," she says.

"It's just a question of encouraging people to get here on time and to be aware that it will take them longer, especially if they're coming during commuter times.

"It's something we need to manage and be aware of it, it's not going to change the nature of my business, but we are pretty busy.

"This is the peak summer holiday time when we are full and I don't want my customers to be impacted any more than they have to be."

Anthony Knights runs the Suffolk Coffee Pod, a mobile coffee outlet.

On Wednesday it took him an hour and 10 minutes to travel from Ipswich to Woodbridge.

"I've been doing this eight years now and I can't actually remember a longer commute than that," he says.

"It was just mayhem yesterday, we just weren't moving anywhere."

Mr Knight says his daughter was late for a taster day at her new secondary school and he fears things will only get worse.

"I'm leaving later today to try and avoid some of this traffic," he adds.

Image source, John Fairhall/BBC

Drivers are still facing long delays as they attempt to get on to the A14 near Wherstead.

Photos from the area show vehicles stuck one behind each other on the approach to the carriageway.

Local roads around Ipswich are heavy with traffic as drivers make use of local roads to avoid the A14 and the Orwell Bridge.

Norwich Road in and out of the town is seeing delays while London Road is the same.

There are long delays on the A137 in and out of Wherstead.

Luke Deal
BBC Radio Suffolk

David Barns lives in Sproughton and says it had been "absolute chaos" in the area due to queues having backed up to the village from the Orwell Bridge this week.

"You couldn't move... it's just been absolute chaos and the air pollution is terrible," he says.

"We've just got over all the lorries coming through for three months and then we've got all this again, it's absolutely crazy."

Mr Barns says traffic has been bad all week in the area and continues to build with the roadworks at the Orwell Bridge.

Image source, National Highways

Drivers attempting to get on and off the A14 at the Copdock Interchange at junction 55 are getting stuck in queues.

Traffic heading toward the Orwell Bridge is backed up to here as well, adding to delays.