Motorists on a busy Ipswich route have been left dismayed after a third set of roadworks in as many weeks has hampered their drive into the town centre.

Traffic has been brought to a near standstill by the closure of Upper Orwell Street while the traffic lights at Major’s Corner are replaced.

Then on Monday, temporary traffic lights were set up further along Spring Road, between the Nottidge Road and Bartholomew Street junctions, for National Grid work.

The works come just weeks after traffic was hampered by temporary traffic lights in Woodbridge Road, near the development of the Two Rivers Medical Centre.

A National Grid spokesman said: “Work began (in Spring Road) on Monday, April 25 to replace ageing gas mains with tough new pipes. The work is scheduled to be complete on Friday, April 29. The work will help ensure local people keep on enjoying safe and reliable gas supplies for cooking and heating.”

Upper Orwell Street meanwhile will be closed until next Wednesday with traffic being diverted along Bond Street, which has been reduced to a single lane.

A spokesman for the county council which is carrying out the work – originally part of the Travel Ipswich project – said the closure of Upper Orwell Street had been delayed, but the overall programme of rebuilding the St Helen’s Street/Bond Street/Major’s Corner was still on schedule.

The overall programme of work is due to continue until the beginning of July.