A14 Orwell Bridge set to close as safety preparations begin ahead of Storm Isha

Road users in Suffolk are being advised to plan their journeys and allow additional time to travel as Orwell Bridge will be closed from midday on Sunday 21 January as high winds are expected to hit the county.

The bridge, which lies on the outskirts of Ipswich and spans the Orwell Estuary, is scheduled to be closed for up to 24 hours, but National Highways will constantly monitor wind speeds throughout this period and the bridge could be reopened sooner if it is safe to do so.

Suffolk has been issued a yellow warning by the Met Office who predict very strong and potentially damaging winds will reach the county on Sunday afternoon continuing through to the evening and overnight.

The decision to close the bridge at midday has been taken to allow road users to plan alternative routes and for National Highways to safely install the closure and diversions ahead of the predicted high winds.

The eastbound diversion will take traffic from the A14 at J55 Copdock Mill onto the A1214 through Ipswich before taking the second exit at Woodbridge Road roundabout onto the A1189 to Felixstowe Road. This continues onto A1156 before rejoining the eastbound A14 at J58 Levington. The westbound diversion will take the same route in reverse.

Martin Fellows - National Highways Regional Director for the East - explained the full closure of Orwell Bridge is only put in place when necessary, and for the safety of the travelling public.

"We understand the inconvenience the closure of Orwell Bridge causes across the region, but our priority will always be public safety. The high winds we are expecting mean it would be unsafe to try and operate the bridge under those conditions.

"Throughout the closure we will continue to work with the Met Office and as soon as we are confident the bridge can be safely reopened, we will do so."

Notes to Editors

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England's motorways and major A roads.

Real-time traffic information for England'smotorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.

For further information please contact National Highways' press office (24hrs) on 0844 693 1448 and select the most appropriate option:

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