Overview

• National Highways confirms the Orwell Bridge repair programme remains on track for completion by mid-August under contraflow and intermittent overnight closures.
• Traffic sensors show delays up to 35 minutes on the A14, prompting congestion on alternative routes through Ipswich and surrounding villages.
• Local businesses report customer and revenue declines of 30–50 percent, with some Felixstowe vendors calling for off-peak or overnight works to reduce economic harm.
• Ipswich MP Jack Abbott’s 'bypass or bust' petition has attracted over 1,500 signatures, reviving debate over the stalled Northern Bypass project.
• Local leaders are split: Suffolk County Councillor Chris Chambers disputes the bypass’s feasibility, while the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce urges formation of a multi-agency transport taskforce.