MOTORISTS using the A14 were faced with heavy congestion today after two lorries and two cars were involved in a crash on the Orwell Bridge.And there was more traffic misery for drivers on Nacton Road after a three-car collision.

MOTORISTS on the A14 faced rush hour chaos today after a van and a car collided on the Orwell Bridge.

The accident happened at about 8am on the Felixstowe bound carriageway and involved a Hyundai panel van and an Audi car.

The collision caused the outside lane of the eastbound carriageway to be blocked causing major disruption for rush hour motorists.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said the resulting tailbacks had caused delays to Copdock and beyond.

No diversions were put in place but Wherstead Road in Ipswich was reported to be heavily congested.

One man was trapped in the car and was believed to be conscious and breathing. Fire crews were called to release him and he was taken to Ipswich Hospital.

One ambulance was called to the scene but a spokeswoman for the East Anglian Ambulance Trust would give no further details of the incident.

The ambulance crew informed police there had been another accident 100 yards before the first.

Police had no further details of the second collision.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said: "At 8.44am we were expecting it to be another 30 minutes before both lanes were open and were waiting for recovering to get there.

"The recovering van was having trouble getting through as it was stuck in traffic."

Further chaos occurred earlier in the day when a Ford Focus caught fire on the south bound slip road of the A12 at Capel St Mary at about 7.20am.

The fire was under control by about 7.30am but motorists faced delays while the vehicle was recovered.

Drivers also faced severe tailbacks on the A14 yesterday when two cars and two lorries were involved in a crash, again on the Orwell Bridge.

The accident happened at about 5.45pm on the Felixstowe bound carriageway and caused jams back to Sproughton.

The central reservation crash barrier was damaged and the road was temporarily blocked while the clean-up operation took place.

A police spokesman said the cars, a Vauxhall Vectra and a Seat Toledo, both belonged to people from Ipswich.

A three-vehicle collision also occurred outside the Golden Hind pub in Nacton Road at about 4.50pm yesterday.

One man had to be cut out of his Ford Mondeo after he complained of whiplash. He was conveyed by ambulance to Ipswich Hospital for further treatment. Another driver was treated at the scene.

The other cars involved were a Nissan Sunny and a Citroen C5.

Police set up diversions along Maryon Road and Lindbergh Road.