MOTORISTS heading into town were today facing more delays from census officials - this time in St Helen's Street and Grimwade Street.Today's delays were not as long as those yesterday when surveys of travel were carried out in Stoke Bridge and Princes Street Bridge, but there was frustration for motorists heading into town from the east of Ipswich.

MOTORISTS heading into town were today facing more delays from census officials - this time in St Helen's Street and Grimwade Street.

Today's delays were not as long as those yesterday when surveys of travel were carried out in Stoke Bridge and Princes Street Bridge, but there was frustration for motorists heading into town from the east of Ipswich.

The census is causing problems as motorists are stopped and asked questions about their journey in a bid to reduce congestion in the future.

Suffolk County Council commissioned the study in collaboration with the borough and it was carried out by transport planning consultants Faber Maunsell with assistance from contractors.

There were studies being done in three more locations today, and these will continue for another six days across two weeks.

Today Suffolk County Council insisted that the studies will help secure a multi-million pound government investment to improve transport in the town.

Guy McGregor, Suffolk County councillor for roads and transport, said: “We do apologise to people who are being delayed on their way through Ipswich over the next three weeks.

“We are in the process of developing state of the art traffic control systems in Ipswich. The traffic study we are carrying out over these three weeks will ensure we have all the vital information about peak-time traffic that we need to press ahead with these innovative plans.

“The benefits will be seen as early as 2010. The information will help us secure investment of £25 million from central government for our next major scheme, 'Ipswich - Fit for the 21st Century'. This will allow us to overhaul both of the town's bus stations, to provide real-time bus information and to build much better routes for pedestrians and cyclists in and around the town centre.

“The information we are gathering will also be invaluable in helping us when we look at future transport and road improvements in the Ipswich area.

“We have looked carefully at what information we need, at which times, and then have worked with the police and others to make sure the survey points are safe and cause the minimum disruption and delay.

“We would ask people to be patient for these short delays - this information will help us to make the big improvements to traffic in Ipswich that everyone wants.”

Have you been caught up in the delays and have a view on this? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk