Suffolk County Council has welcomed the government’s announcement today of its next five-year Road Investment Strategy (RIS) which features four key projects in the county.
The RIS is the Department for Transport’s investment plan for operating, maintaining, renewing and enhancing the strategic trunk road network in England.
Known as RIS3, it runs from April 2026 to March 2031 and in Suffolk sees:
A12 improvements at Woodbridge – a recommitment by the government to funding its share during this period of the £63 million scheme to upgrade the A12 between the Seven Hills junction with the A14 and the Woods Lane junction, subject to Suffolk County Council submitting the Final Business Case, anticipated for later this year.
A140 - A1120 Earl Stonham junction improvements – this has been classed as a scheme ‘recommended to continue’, where the government accepts work on developing improvements should go ahead during this period. However, this is subject to affordability, value for money and deliverability assessments.
The junction is an historic staggered crossroads where queuing traffic causes congestion. The improvement scheme would realign the eastern A1120 arm, providing more space for vehicles to queue and avoiding vehicle conflicts by simplifying the junction.
Two other schemes in Suffolk have been earmarked for progression.
They are improvements to the A11 Fiveways junction near Mildenhall and the A12/A14 Copdock interchange.
These will see the government and National Highways continue to develop but not deliver them during the RIS3 period.
Both schemes remain uncommitted and with no guaranteed funding, but it does mean they have a better chance of being included in the next RIS after 2031.
Both Copdock interchange- a key junction serving freight traffic bound to and from the Port of Felixstowe – and the A11 junction have suffered from problems of congestion and design flaws.
Councillor Chris Chambers, Suffolk County Council Cabinet Member for Transport Strategy said: “I welcome the inclusion of the A12 and the A140 Earl Stonham junction in RIS3.
“Their presence reflects both the strategic importance of our region’s transport corridors and the strength of the case we have consistently made for investment, and their progression will help unlock growth, improve safety, and support the resilience of key routes that our communities and businesses rely on every day.
Similarly, while I would have preferred Copdock interchange and Fiveways junction to be in RIS3 I am pleased they have been identified for continued development within the RIS4 pipeline, ensuring that essential design, assessment, and statutory work can progress, keeping them firmly on the agenda for the next investment period.”
Full details of the scheme can be found on the Department for Transport website.
