Highways England chiefs have provided an update on whether the Orwell Bridge will close as Storm Aileen brings gusts of up to 60mph to Suffolk.

There are no plans to shut it at the moment as wind speeds are beginning to die down however specialist teams will monitor the situation as the day goes on.

In an early morning update provided to this newspaper this morning a spokesman from Highways England said it is “unlikely” the bridge will shut during the morning peak.

Last night lorry drivers, motorbike riders and motorists towing caravans were urged to avoid the bridge.

This advice still stands, the spokesman added.

Urging drivers to be careful, Richard Leonard, head of road user safety at Highways England said: “We’re encouraging drivers to check the latest weather and travel conditions before setting off on journeys, with strong winds and heavy rain expected from Tuesday evening until Wednesday morning.

“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down and avoid using exposed sections of road if possible.”

Follow our live travel updates as Storm Aileen sweeps through Suffolk this morning