National Highways has said that the discovery of a “bridge joint” in a potentially unsafe condition will mean the continuation of a lane reduction scheme on the A14 Orwell Bridge in Suffolk.

Traffic on the major A-road will be omni-directional for the next couple of weeks, the agency explained amid safety concerns. The issue was uncovered during a routine inspection of the 1km A14 Orwell Bridge, near Ipswich.

Traffic on the westbound carriageway has been reduced to one lane “until further notice”, causing delays of up to 30 minutes, says the BBC.

The agency said it was working hard to rectify the defect and to reopen the closed lane.

It said: “The safety of those who work and travel on our road network is our top priority. This is a complex operation; planning is already under way and preparatory works are programmed to commence this week.

“These access works are needed to enable the next stage of replacing the necessary components to the bridge structure.”

The 42-year old Orwell Bridge provides a major link between the Port of Felixstowe and other parts of the UK, but is often closed during high winds, causing long tailbacks across Ipswich as drivers find alternative routes. In 2022, about 60,000 vehicles crossed the bridge each day.