From bridge to tunnel: The billion-pound options on the table for A14

Replacing the Orwell Bridge with a crossing or a tunnel is one of six options being considered as a solution to traffic issues that have plagued a road network.

Suffolk County Council has set out the first phase of its plan to improve the A14 transport corridor and address long-standing congestion concerns around Ipswich.

The authority is seeking permission to spend £300,000 to explore and plan potential options – costing up to £1bn - which could help relieve pressure on roads in the area.

Reform UK councillor Christopher Hudson, cabinet member for transport and highways, said the issue was not just a local concern but a "matter of national importance".

"When the Orwell Bridge is closed, there is huge disruption for residents, businesses and freight operators alike," he said.

"By fully assessing the evidence, we can develop a resilient and credible case for investment to present to the government, National Highways and regional partners."

The request to explore alternatives comes as part of the council's proposed Pre-Strategic Outline Business Case (PSOBC), funded by the Local Transport Grant.

If approved, preparation of the PSOBC would take around six months and would see the council refresh its research and data around what can be done to solve the issue.

Using the latest traffic modelling, updated forecasts, incident data, environmental constraints and cost estimates, the PSOBC will examine six traffic options.

They are:

• A replacement or alternative crossing of the River Orwell, without determining at this stage whether this would be a bridge or tunnel

• A replacement or alternative crossing with a direct A12 link south of the A14/A12 Copdock junction

• A northern bypass route for Ipswich

• An Upper Orwell-style town centre crossing in Ipswich

• A resilience package, including local junction improvements, urban traffic management, incident management and operational measures

• Assess how many people must switch to public transport or alternative travel to reduce traffic pressure

These major infrastructure options could cost anywhere between £500m and more than £1bn and take seven to ten years or more to deliver.

"Moving too quickly to a single solution without evidence would risk challenge and reduce confidence that all viable options had been properly considered," said Hudson.

The Orwell Bridge, which opened in 1982, connects the Port of Felixstowe with the rest of the UK's road network and was built to allow traffic to travel south of Ipswich.

However, when it is shut due to an accident, maintenance, or winds above 60mph, it can cause massive congestion in Ipswich, as there is no major alternative route.

In February 2020, divisive plans to build a northern bypass to ease congestion in Ipswich and the surrounding areas were shelved due to disagreements over the scale of housing development required to secure government funding and a lack of unified political support.

However, following severe traffic disruptions caused by repair works on the Orwell Bridge, the project was revived on July 15, 2025, when a Conservative-amended Labour councillor's motion received cross-party support at the council.

While the motion succeeded in bringing the plans back to the table, the long-term future of the bypass remained subject to ongoing local political debates regarding its route, timeline, and alternative traffic relief solutions.

Since then, the make-up of the council has also changed significantly, with Reform UK winning 41 of the 70 seats up for grabs at the general election in May.

Jack Abbott, Labour MP for Ipswich, said residents had been "led to believe" the new-look authority would "finally be putting a proposal on the table".

"But that now appears to have been another delaying tactic, and they will now be carrying out further analysis for a further six months," he said.

"People will be very frustrated that we have had another wasted summer - this new work can't be for nothing.

"It has to mark the genuine start of a process to deliver a credible, affordable and deliverable alternative to the Orwell Bridge."

Cabinet members will vote on the plan at a meeting on 17 September, with the report expected to be compiled by spring 2027 if given the go-ahead.

Patrick Spencer, Conservative MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, said he supported "practical upgrades to the A14" that help "keep Suffolk moving".

But the politician, who has long been opposed to a Northern Bypass, questioned the need for further surveys and analysis to be carried out.

"The previous Conservative-led council consulted widely, examined several routes and alternatives, and gathered extensive traffic, economic, and environmental data," he said.

"The test for Reform is not whether it can commission another report, but whether it can produce a deliverable plan and explain to residents how it will be paid for.

"The test for Labour ministers is just as simple: if Suffolk brings forward the right scheme, will they back their rhetoric on growth with the funding needed to build it?"

Additional reporting by Vikki Irwin and Ben Parker

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