Ipswich: Orwell Bridge 40mph limit on A14 to remain in place

Emergency services were called to the incident on the eastbound carriageway of the A14, between junctions 56 and 57, just after 11am on Tuesday.

During the two-vehicle crash, a lorry had crossed the central reservation from westbound to eastbound.

Lane closures were in put place throughout the day and all lanes were not fully clear until the following morning.

However, the speed limit across the Orwell Bridge was reduced from 60mph to 40mph following the incident.

Traffic on the Orwell Bridge outside Ipswich (Image: Gregg Brown)

On Friday, it was confirmed that the reduced speed restriction would remain in place while work to repair the damage had been completed.

A spokesman for National Highways, which manages the A14 in Suffolk, said: "For the safety of those using the bridge, the temporary speed restriction will remain in place until the central reservation can be permanently repaired.

"Due to the complexity of the repair and the need for specific materials, our contractors have indicated this will not take place until next week."

A number of crashes have been reported on the Orwell Bridge in recent months, with some forcing the key part of the A14 to close for several hours at a time – resulting in traffic being diverted through Ipswich.

In the wake of another crash on the Orwell Bridge at the start of April, Suffolk business leaders called for key infrastructure to be upgraded to prevent further disruption.

Paul Simon, head of public affairs and strategic communications at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: "Quite simply, if we wish to shift gears from being ‘Sleepy Suffolk’ to becoming ‘Super-charged Suffolk’ and the sustainable prosperity that will follow, we need the tools to do the job: in short a 21st century infrastructure for a 21st century county."