Summary

  • A lane on the A14 is closed as repair works are carried out on the Orwell Bridge

  • Rush hours are seeing long queues for traffic in and around Ipswich

  • Both of the westbound lanes are open, but an eastbound lane is currently closed

  • The lane closure started on Monday and work is due to continue until mid-August

  • The issues are reigniting the decades-old debate about having a northern bypass around Ipswich

  • BBC Radio Suffolk is covering the traffic and roadwork problems around the Orwell Bridge on air. You can listen live here on BBC Sounds.

Live Reporting

Reporting by Alice Cunningham, editing by Charlie Jones

  1. Wherstead drivers facing delays

    A view of the A14 from over a bridge. The carriageway immediately under the camera has one lane closed off by cones and vehicles are queued up behind one another. The other carriageway is open and a lorry can be seen travelling toward the camera.John Fairhall/BBC

    In Wherstead there are long queues as drivers try to get on to the A14 eastbound.

    The A137 in the area is busy and likely to get worse due to the rush hour traffic.

    Cars queue to get on the A14. A road sign working of road works is placed next to the road.John Fairhall/BBC
    Another view of cars queuing to get on to the A14.John Fairhall/BBC

  2. Lane closure leading to delays

    A traffic camera view of the A14 on the approach to Orwell Bridge. One lane is closed on the carriageway further away from the camera and traffic is queuing. The carriageway closest to the camera is open and traffic is moving.National Highways

    The eastbound lane closure is leading to queues on the approach to the Orwell Bridge.

    Traffic is currently backed up to the Copdock Interchange and drivers are facing a 20 minute delay due to this.

  3. 'This will likely get worse,' says MP

    Jack Abbott smiles at the camera. He has short brown hair and a dark beard. He wears a grey suit and white shirt.Jack Abbott

    Jack Abbott, Labour MP for Ipswich, has regularly voiced his support for an alternative route to alleviate traffic issues on the A14.

    Following this week's disruption, he is calling again for the Northern Bypass, or another deliverable plan, to be considered.

    "This will likely get worse," he says.

    "We will also in a couple years time have to do further repairs on the Orwell Bridge so this isn't the last time we're going to see delays of this nature.

    "I think barely a day goes by when there isn't some sort of incident which creates at least long tail backs and major delays on the Orwell Bridge or along the A14.

    "So it shows irrespective of these repairs we desperately need an alternative route."

  4. Want to listen live to more on Orwell Bridge?

    BBC Radio Suffolk's Wayne Bavin at Breakfast show is currently live on air and covering the Orwell Bridge and A14 traffic.

    You can listen live on BBC Sounds here.

  5. Traffic starting to build

    A view over the Orwell Bridge near Ipswich. Drivers move over both carriageways. A lane is closed on the carriageway furthest away from the camera.National Highways

    Traffic is now starting to build around the Orwell Bridge.

    Queues are forming on the eastbound carriageway heading toward the bridge while one lane remains closed over it.

    Westbound traffic over the bridge is also starting to build.

    Traffic is also starting to build around the Copdock Interchange and the A12 northbound.

  6. Why are these works happening?

    A drone image of the A14 over Orwell Bridge. Vehicles are seen moving along the road in each direction.John Fairhall/BBC

    National Highways is carrying out essential repairs to the Orwell Bridge, specifically replacing two expansion joints on the westbound carriageway.

    The current joints date back to 1988 and are crucial for providing a flexible connection between bridge sections.

    Simon Amor, head of scheme delivery for National Highways in the East, says it is "very complicated work", but once the expansion joints are replaced they will last 50 years.

    "It is very complicated work so we have to extract the expansion joints from the bridge structure itself without damaging the bridge," he says.

    "So it is technical and delicate, it's a bit like major surgery on a bridge."

    The bridge has four of these joints in total - two on each side, with the eastbound carriageway's likely to be replaced within the next five years, according to Mr Amor.

    The work is being carried out in the summer to ensure workers have good weather conditions and more daylight hours.

  7. How is traffic currently looking?

    A view of traffic moving along the A14 near Ipswich. Traffic moves down each side of the carriageway.National Highways

    Traffic is currently moving well around the Orwell Bridge area and there are no major delays yet.

    Around junction 56 at Wherstead vehicles can be seen moving freely on traffic cameras.

    Earlier in the week queues had been building in the area from 06:30 BST onwards.

  8. Next stage of roadworks delayed

    National Highways was originally due to move into its next phase of the roadworks by introducing a contraflow system over the bridge.

    It would have meant that only one lane would open in both directions, something Martin Fellows, regional director of National Highways in the East of England, told BBC Radio Suffolk would lead to worse traffic.

    However on Wednesday night National Highways said it had delayed this and it would instead be put in place overnight of Friday.

  9. What is happening on Orwell Bridge?

    The Orwell Bridge over the River Orwell on a sunny day.Martin Barber/BBC

    National Highways is carrying out at least seven weeks' worth of essential repairs on Orwell Bridge near Ipswich.

    It is working to replace two expansion joints on the westbound carriageway and it is expected the work will finish in mid to late August.

    The highways agency previously said the work would cost £6m, but once replaced, the joints would last 50 years.

    As part of the works, various lane closures are being implemented which has already led severe traffic around Ipswich during rush hour.

    Many residents and businesses have been left frustrated, but National Highways stressed the work was paramount for the safety of the bridge.

  10. Welcome

    Hello and good morning to our live page.

    We will be bringing you latest updates on traffic on the A14 around the Orwell Bridge near Ipswich as National Highways' essential works continue.

    As well as this we will be bringing you reaction from local people and businesses as they try to navigate the heavy queues and delays.