Work on the Travel Ipswich programme should have been completed 18 months ago – making it easier to get around the town centre.

The controversial scheme has seen the Civic Drive roundabout replaced by traffic lights, the bus stations rebuilt, new paving and a new computer-controlled traffic system installed.

However four major components of the scheme still have to be completed – and all are vital before it can work fully.

And county council cabinet member for transport James Finch remains confident that once complete more people will see the benefits of the scheme.

Earlier this month Mr Finch came under fire for suggesting that the complaints about Travel Ipswich came from a comparatively small number of drivers – but he accepted there was frustration at the amount of roadworks under way.

The four remaining pieces of work to be completed are: new traffic lights at Major’s Corner, new traffic lights in Woodbridge Road, the completion of the computer network controlling the lights in the town centre, and the rebuilding of Queen Street and Princes Street.

Mr Finch said the whole Travel Ipswich project had originally been costed at £21.7million, including £18m from the Department for Transport. So far £21m has been spent on the scheme.

Mr Finch said other improvements would be taking place in the town in the new year – including the second phase of improving the Ransomes Way/Nacton Road link.

The county is also start looking at possible transport solutions linked in with the development of the northern fringe of Ipswich,

Mr Finch said: “Despite the financial constraints there is a lot of work going on to try to improve traffic around the town, both in the centre and elsewhere.

“But you have to remember that Travel Ipswich is more about making it easier to get around the town for pedestrians and those using public transport. There is still much to do but we should be working on the final phase early next year.”