MOTORISTS travelling along the A12 at Martlesham are bracing themselves for long tailbacks as work begins on a new park and ride scheme.Speed restrictions of 40 miles per hour will be imposed along a stretch of the road while alterations are made to a roundabout, at the junction of the A12 and A1214.

MOTORISTS travelling along the A12 at Martlesham are bracing themselves for long tailbacks as work begins on a new park and ride scheme.

Speed restrictions of 40 miles per hour will be imposed along a stretch of the road while alterations are made to a roundabout, at the junction of the A12 and A1214.

A slip road will be added to join the park and ride site, north west of the roundabout, and will see reduced speed limits imposed for around two months.

The news comes on the same day drivers are coming to terms with the blow that the A12 between Ipswich and Lowestoft is unlikely to be dualled.

Suffolk County Council officers claim it is unlikely the potential payback of the project would warrant its cost, which is expected to reach £320million.

This has come as a massive blow to A12 users, who will soon see their journey times increased when construction of the park and ride site begins.

The £2.8million Suffolk County Council project, which met several objections before being passed, is due to be completed in October.

It will include 550 parking spaces and it hopes to attract 104,000 cars in its first year of operation.

Journey times into Ipswich town centre are expected to take about 20 minutes and buses will run every ten to 12 minutes.

A spokesman for the county council said: "The Martlesham park and ride scheme will join the two existing successful sites at London Road and Bury Road, which have prevented thousands of car journeys into the town centre."

The site has been carefully landscaped and the scheme has been designed to minimise the environmental impact. Parking bays have been designed to fit around existing trees and reed beds will be planted to encourage wildlife.

In April, the remnants of a Bronze Age settlement were discovered by archaeologists and it is hoped further excavations will uncover more treasures.