Following today’s Cabinet meeting, councillors agreed to develop a new business case to examine a range of options that could improve traffic congestion in Ipswich and address the resilience of the Orwell Bridge.
The Conservative Group believes it is important to put all options on the table to find a long-term solution for Ipswich and Suffolk residents, particularly when the Orwell Bridge closes and congestion in and around Ipswich increases.
Residents living around the proposed areas of the Ipswich Northern Route have faced uncertainty for many years and deserve clarity, as well as the opportunity to be properly involved in a meaningful consultation.
However, the Conservative Group has raised concerns about the option of building a tunnel, which was previously considered but removed from the previous business case due to it being the most expensive option.
Cllr Joe Mason, Shadow Spokesperson for Highways, Transport Strategy & Property, said:
“Today’s report is welcomed, but in many respects it is the easiest part of addressing the traffic issues on the Orwell Bridge and in Ipswich. All options are on the table, nothing is properly costed and no community is yet directly affected. When a preferred option is chosen and costs are established, the administration will then have to nail its colours to the mast, and that is altogether more difficult. This is before we even get to Suffolk raising the likely £1 billion-plus required to introduce a solution.
“I’m also fearful that while a tunnel will be many people’s preferred option, including, on face value, mine, it will likely be the most costly by some huge margin due to the underlying geology in the area – that of marine and river sands and gravels, soft clays and weak chalk. We’re seeing elsewhere in the country how such conditions can lead to rapidly spiralling costs. Any chosen solution must be realistic, and Suffolk must not be promised a unicorn-style project that never materialises.
“Any solution won’t begin construction until 2036 and won’t be operational before 2040, so we also need to consider what can be done in the interim to alleviate the challenges motorists, hauliers and businesses face on a daily basis. I was pleased to receive an assurance from the Cabinet Member today that nearer-term, smaller interventions will also be considered alongside the long-term fix. We now want to hear exactly what those interventions are, how quickly they could be delivered and what they would cost.”
The Conservative Group will continue to monitor the development of the business case, insisting that communities are properly heard through consultation and that any solution delivered for Suffolk provides value for money.
