Motorists face travel misery in Ipswich this summer after it was announced parts of Woodbridge Road will be closed to traffic heading into the town centre for up to two months due to major gas work.
National Grid said a westbound lane closure will stretch from the Kirby Road junction, near the Cauldwell Hall Road mini-roundabout, to the bottom of the road at the Argyle Street junction, between July 10 and September 17.
The announcement this evening did not make clear if the road closure will be split into sections during the 10-week disruption which is replacing old gas mains.
The closure will also take in the Mulberry Tree pub at the other end of Woodbridge Road, the announcement added.
It said “associated work” will also take place at the junctions of Woodbridge Road and the following roads: Kirby Street, Milton Street, Howard Street, Britannia Road and Woodbridge Road East. There will be no access in or out of these roads while work is taking place.
Woodbridge Road will remain open to eastbound traffic and shops and businesses will remain open.
A National Grid spokesman confirmed: “There will be a westbound lane closure in Woodbridge Road between the junction with Kirby Street and just beyond The Mulberry Tree public house. This will mean that this section of road will become a temporary one way system for eastbound traffic only.
“All shops and businesses will remain open as usual.
“To minimise disruption the new pipes will be inserted into the old gas mains which will minimise the need for big excavations and thus reduce inconvenience for local people and road users.
“Scheduling the bulk of the work during the school summer holiday period when roads are generally quieter will also help minimise disruption.
“The work has been carefully planned in close discussion with the local authorities.”
The closure is likely to worsen the morning rush hour heading into town, particularly in Spring Road, Felixstowe Road/Fore Hamlet and the Tuddenham Road area.
Schools in Suffolk break up for the summer holiday on Friday, July 21 and return on Monday, September 4. It means the first and last two weeks of the road closure will coincide with school traffic.
National Grid said the essential work will replace ageing gas mains which are near the end of their “operational life” with “tough new pipes”.
Vince Doggett, authorising engineer at National Grid, added: “We’re doing all we can to deliver this work with as little disruption as possible.
“This includes inserting the new gas mains and scheduling the bulk of the work for during the school summer holiday period, both of which should reduce inconvenience for local people and road users.
“This essential work will help ensure people in the area keep on enjoying safe and reliable gas supplies.
“It will also reduce the amount of unplanned repair jobs we have to do on ageing gas pipes which will reduce disruption in the area.”
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