However, the disruption and congestion that ensued from it proved that the status quo on Suffolk’s roads cannot continue.
The fact of the matter is that we need investment. Suffolk has been on the backburner of too many governments for far too long. This county is crying out for investment in its transport infrastructure.
Which is why Suffolk County Council is now undertaking a comprehensive review of what needs to be done and where, and how we then present our case to the government to get the funding we need to support and fund improving our key transport infrastructure.
During the disruption from the bridge works the calls became ever louder for a northern bypass for Ipswich.
This council agreed earlier this month to commit to a range of measures one of which was the recognition that a bypass, or other interventions, for Ipswich should be built and to re-examine the best possible route for it.
However, a bypass on its own is not the answer, the situation is far more complex.
Other hugely important areas form part of the bigger picture – as well as the Orwell Bridge and the A14 corridor, there is the Port of Felixstowe, the Sizewell power stations, the A12/A14 Copdock Interchange, and the need to upgrade the Ely/Haughley rail junctions.
Regrettably, the government recently announced that in its next five-year funding cycle there would be no money to upgrade the Ely-Haughley rail junctions.
This is a real missed opportunity. The scheme is widely recognised as being key to getting freight from Port of Felixstowe off the A14 and on to rail, freeing up capacity on the road network.
The council will continue to call for the scheme to be included in the next available round of government funding because the importance of the A14 both to the regional and UK economy cannot be overstated.
Not only it is a vital artery supporting the Port of Felixstowe – Britain’s busiest container port – it also links key logistics and industrial hubs worth billions to the UK economy.
Yet one simple road accident or broken-down vehicle can bring it grinding to a halt. This cannot continue.
Our review will also examine and identify future housing needs, funding options, and developing a business case to present to the government.
The role of a future Mayor for Suffolk will also feature, as will issues such as cross-party political support, and how to reach an agreed position for any future administration following local government reform which will see Suffolk County Council replaced by one or more unitary authorities.
I recently wrote to the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander MP, pointing out the important transport projects in Suffolk which have been recognised as priorities for the health of the UK economy and the wider East of England region, yet which have either been rejected for funding or have not been progressed by Government at all.
Now, with a number of Labour MPs representing Suffolk, they must stand up for our county and make the case to their own Government. It is time for this Labour Government to move beyond warm words and deliver the infrastructure investment that Suffolk and our region so clearly need.
I also said that we continue to face a fundamental question: How does the Government suggest we fund critical infrastructure investment when all conventional routes to national investment have so far failed us?
This is why the transport review we are undertaking is so important. We need make the strongest case possible to get investment for this county’s infrastructure.
We are not naïve. We know government resources are limited and priorities must be made, but Suffolk cannot be excluded from significant transport investment any longer.
