Suffolk councillor says Northern Bypass won't be built in a year

Chris Chambers, cabinet member for transport at Suffolk County Council, said that any long term solution to issues of the Orwell Bridge will be undertaken by the new position when they are elected next year. 

Since repair work began on the Orwell Bridge last month, traffic chaos has gripped the region, with Ipswich and the wider are suffering from long delays. 

Problems with the Orwell Bridge has led to traffic chaos throughout Ipswich and Suffolk through out the last few weeks (Image: Newsquest) This had led to serious calls for the revival of a Northern Bypass project, which was abandoned in January 2020 after losing political support. 

Ipswich MP Jack Abbott started a petition to encourage Suffolk County Council to restart the project. 

Councillor Chris Chambers, the cabinet member for transport, replied to the MP earlier this week saying it was time for a "grown up conversation".

Councillor Chris Chambers, the cabinet minister for transport at Suffolk County Council (Image: Suffolk County Council) It has long been thought that serious infrastructure projects will not progress until the first East Anglian Mayor and the local government structure is rearranged next year. 

This has been confirmed by Mr Chambers, who said: "This is not to say that nothing will happen, but it is to say to that a Northern Bypass won't be built in a year. 

"It will be more than likely that big infrastructure projects will be the ultimate responsibility of the new mayor.

In January 2020, plans for a Northern Bypass were shelved amid a perceived lack of political support (Image: Archant) "That is a good thing as our transport links don't end at the border, so there will be wider scope as to what can happen.

"In the meantime, it will fall to myself and the wider council to lobby for any potential infrastructure as well as secure long awaited funding for the Ely/Haughley junction upgrades."

The first mayoral candidate John Howard said that all options must be considered as people are "people are sick about hearing issues with the Orwell Bridge".