HIGHWAYS Agency engineers are drawing up proposals to change the controversial Copdock Mill interchange, The Evening Star can reveal today.The junction between the A14 and A12 at the south of Ipswich is one of the worst bottlenecks in the area.

HIGHWAYS Agency engineers are drawing up proposals to change the controversial Copdock Mill interchange, The Evening Star can reveal today.

The junction between the A14 and A12 at the south of Ipswich is one of the worst bottlenecks in the area.

And it has often been the scene of accidents that have blocked both roads and caused traffic chaos in the town.

The interchange was built in 1984 as part of the town's western by-pass, which completed the new road network around Ipswich.

Traffic using the A14 to get from Felixstowe to the west can drive straight under the junction – but traffic from Ipswich town centre or the A12 to the south has to use the large roundabout.

A series of accidents a few years ago prompted the Highways Agency to install traffic lights on the roundabout in an attempt to improve safety.

But now a study of the A12 between Ipswich and London has identified the need to completely rebuild Copdock Mill interchange.

Three options have been considered – installing more traffic lights to control traffic on the existing junction, building a new flyover and access roads for the A12, and widening the existing roundabout to three lanes with traffic lights.

No final decision has been reached – but the Star understands that the most likely option is widening the roundabout.

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said the option of building a flyover would be very expensive and could have taken years to get funding.

Money to improve the junction had been promised by the operators of Felixstowe Port if that was given permission to expand.

This should give the Highways Agency the opportunity to increase the road width at the roundabout at Copdock Mill.

The spokeswoman said: "After seeing the results of the London to Ipswich traffic study, the Secretary of State felt that junction improvements – including that at Copdock – should be a long-term aim rather than an immediate priority.

"However with the money that should become available from Felixstowe Port, it should be possible to improve the junction in the medium term."

N How should Copdock Mill be improved? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk