Repair works on two joints of the Orwell Bridge near Ipswich will start earlier than planned, the Department for Transport has announced. The acceleration comes after emergency repairs closed the bridge for nearly two weeks in September.
The big picture: The Orwell Bridge is a crucial link to the Port of Felixstowe, with about 60,000 vehicles crossing it daily. Accelerating these repairs aims to prevent further disruptions to this key transport route.
Why it matters: The bridge impacts thousands of commuters and businesses relying on the A14 for daily travel and freight movement, and is absolutely vital to our region's economy.
Key details:
The bridge was partially closed in September after a joint was deemed "potentially unsafe" during a routine inspection
Works to replace two westbound joints will now begin "within the current financial year", earlier than the previously planned 2027 start date
Plans to replace eastbound carriageway joints are also due to take place
What they're saying: Lilian Greenwood, junior Labour minister in the Department for Transport, confirmed the accelerated timeline in response to an inquiry from James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for Suffolk South.
It follows a Suffolk Chamber of Commerce meeting with local business leaders and MPs last week.
Following that meeting, Stephen Britt, chair of the Suffolk Chamber's Transport & Infrastructure Group, said: "What became readily apparent was that the different agencies tasked with addressing solutions to dealing with closures over both the short and middle terms aren't really taking the wider view – to the detriment of businesses and residents caught up in the never-ending series of issues on this vital strategic road network."
The Chamber called for:
MPs to challenge why National Highways doesn't deploy Traffic Officers during major A14 incidents.
Better information exchange between agencies regarding bridge maintenance.
Investigations into using a 'suicide net' along the bridge.
Relaunching the Ipswich Transport Taskforce with a focus on the wider road system.
Paul Simon, Suffolk Chamber's head of public affairs, stated: "We believe that the current policy vacuum in terms of long-term solutions is so damaging that every viable solution should be actively considered as part of a coherent A14/Orwell Bridge strategy."
The bottom line: The acceleration of repairs suggests officials are starting to recognise the bridge's critical importance to the region's infrastructure and economy but for many, these repairs are sticking plasters on a gaping wound, that if left untreated, will cause our economy to continue to bleeding.
