What's happening with Copdock interchange – and why it matters

Why it matters: The A12/A14 Copdock interchange – a key junction serving freight traffic bound to and from the Port of Felixstowe – has long suffered from congestion and design flaws. The government's Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), which runs from April 2026 to March 2031, does not commit funding to fix it. But it does keep the scheme alive.

What is RIS3? The Road Investment Strategy is the Department for Transport's investment plan for operating, maintaining, renewing and enhancing the strategic trunk road network in England. RIS3 is the third such five-year plan and covers the period from April 2026 to March 2031.

What does it mean for Copdock? The interchange has been earmarked for progression – but not delivery. Under RIS3, the government and National Highways will continue to develop the scheme without committing to build it. It remains uncommitted and has no guaranteed funding.

In practical terms, that means design work, assessments and statutory processes can continue during this period, giving the scheme a better chance of being included in the next Road Investment Strategy – RIS4 – after 2031.

The bigger picture: Three other Suffolk schemes feature in the strategy:

• The A12 improvements at Woodbridge – a recommitment to funding the government's share of the £63m scheme to upgrade the A12 between the Seven Hills junction with the A14 and the Woods Lane junction, subject to Suffolk County Council submitting the Final Business Case later this year.
• The A140–A1120 Earl Stonham junction improvements – classed as "recommended to continue", meaning work on developing improvements can go ahead, subject to affordability, value for money and deliverability assessments.
• The A11 Fiveways junction near Mildenhall – also earmarked for continued development but not delivery, with no guaranteed funding, in the same position as Copdock.

What they're saying: Paul Simon, Head of Public Affairs & Strategic Communications for Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, "welcomed the progress," while acknowledging that it "won’t be until 2031 and beyond at the earliest before any funding is finally confirmed."

He said: “We are taking an active role in representing the business voice as National Highways begins to work up a business case for a scheme which we hope will significantly boost vehicle capacity at this vital junction for residents and businesses alike.

“Suffolk Chamber believes that issues surrounding the capacity of the A14 and the surrounding road system can only be addressed by taking a pragmatic approach that both goes beyond simple binary choices and simplistic rhetoric, and which builds a consensus among key stakeholders that all potential solutions should be brought forward for serious investigations as soon as possible.

“This means backing short-term solutions such as lowering speed limits along a longer stretch of the road to improve driver behaviours, middle-term ones such as investment in the Ely/Haughley rail junctions to take some freight off the road network and improvements to Copdock, and longer-term solutions such as an Ipswich Northern Route.

“For this to be successful, it is vital that all parts of the Suffolk system come together in good faith to support just such a programme in lobbying Government and others, and that no one tries to veto or slow down any legitimate investigation into a component solution. Suffolk Chamber continues to bring together this coalition, and we are looking forward to hearing progress reports from a number of organisations, including National Highways, at our next meeting in June.”

Suffolk County Council were approached for comment.

The bottom line: Copdock interchange is moving in the right direction – but slowly. Inclusion in the RIS4 development pipeline means the scheme will not be forgotten, but motorists, residents and businesses will have to wait some time for tangible improvements.

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