This will see the council update data around different potential options to relieve pressure on the road network and the Orwell Bridge.
Councillor Christopher Hudson, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways, said the council would need to present a water-tight case for any future scheme.
“Any major long-term solution is likely to be nationally significant infrastructure. The costs involved could run into hundreds of millions, and potentially more than a billion pounds,” he said.
“Any such requirement would require Government support, National Highways involvement and a credible delivery and funding route. Before having those discussions, we need a robust and up-to-date evidence base.”
Councillor Hudson said today’s decision did not commit the Council to any future scheme, just to the next stage of investigation.
Any plans to progress after that would need to return to Cabinet with further evidence, costs and recommendations.
He said the approach responded directly to the motion agreed by Full Council in May which committed to assessing all realistic long-term options rather than prematurely focusing on a single solution.
It also recognised the significant public interest in the issue, including a petition led by Jack Abbott MP which secured almost 4,000 signatures calling for action on A14 congestion and for the revival of an Ipswich Northern Bypass.
“Schemes of this scale do not happen quickly; they need to go through a clear and rigorous process,” Cllr Hudson said.
“By committing to this important first step we can show leadership, move the work forward, and do so without prejudging the evidence or committing the Council to any particular outcome at this stage.”
The PSOBC will examine six high-level 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 by-pass 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
Preparing the PSOBC is expected to cost up to £300,000, funded from the Local Transport Grant already earmarked for resilience work.
Work on it is anticipated to take around six months, leading to an evidence and options report around spring 2027.
Subsequent stages could progress through the Department for Transport’s business-case process toward potential construction from 2036, subject to Government gateways and funding.
