Man dies in A14 crash as Orwell Bridge closure causes another day of travel chaos
A man has died following a two-vehicle collision on the A14 at Nacton this morning, with the westbound carriageway remaining closed into the evening as a separate rail fault compounded a day of travel disruption across Ipswich.
Why it matters: The fatal collision shut a key stretch of the A14 around the Orwell Bridge for most of the day, gridlocking roads across Ipswich as a separate rail fault disrupted services between the town and London.
The details: Suffolk Police were called at just after 09:00 on Monday, 27 April, to reports of a collision involving a lorry and a silver Ford S-Max on the westbound carriageway.
- Ambulance and Suffolk Fire and Rescue crews also attended, but the driver of the car was pronounced deceased at the scene.
- Two passengers in the car were taken to hospital for a check-up but are not believed to have sustained any serious injuries.
- A 50-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre, where he remains for questioning.
The bigger picture: The A14 remains closed westbound between Junction 58 at Seven Hills and Junction 56 at Wherstead, and eastbound between the off-slip and the on-slip at Junction 57 for Ransomes Europark.
These closures are expected to remain in place into the evening, with police advising motorists to plan their journeys accordingly. Diversions are in place.
Roads throughout Ipswich, including Felixstowe Road, Nacton Road and Bishops Hill, became gridlocked in the wake of the crash, with tailbacks reported in both directions between junctions 56 and 58. One reader reported travel times of over an hour from Bucklesham Road to the town centre.
Travel disruption elsewhere: The road closures coincided with rail disruption between Ipswich and London Liverpool Street.
Greater Anglia confirmed a fault with overhead electrical wires in Colchester had blocked the line between Colchester and Manningtree in Essex, with services delayed or cancelled throughout the afternoon.
What's next: Officers are appealing for witnesses, and asking any motorists driving in the area at the time of the incident with a dashcam fitted in their vehicle to review footage for any material that may assist the investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or via www.suffolk.police.uk/tell-us, quoting reference 37/23817/26. Information can also be sent by email to SCIU@norfolk.police.uk.
The bottom line: A man has lost his life in a collision that has shut one of the region's most critical roads for the day, with rail problems adding to the disruption for commuters and travellers across Ipswich. It is just the latest of many recent examples of why conversations around our road infrastructure must be accelerated.
Oliver Rouane-Williams
Don't forget: If you enjoy our content, please add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google so you can easily find more of the content you value.
This article cost us ~£27 to produce
It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our partners. Please support us by supporting them.
Below the line