A full carriageway closure on the Orwell Bridge will be in place from this evening as repair works begin.

A single lane closure has been in place on the westbound carriageway for more than a week after National Highways discovered a "potential defect" was found during a routine inspection. 

However a full carriageway closure will be in place overnight for the next two evenings to allow works to be carried out to fix the issue. 

A spokeswoman for National Highways: "To carry out the work safely, we’ll need to close the full westbound carriageway between 9pm and 5am on Tuesday and Wednesday."

The road is expected to be fully reopen on Thursday by 5am.

A diversion route will be in place while the carriageway is closed. 

The diversion route is as follows:

  • Turn at J57 on to the A14
  • Follow to J58 and take the exit slip to the A12
  • Join the A1214 from the 1st exit on roundabout Martlesham
  • Continue on A1214 (main road and Woodbridge road) to the roundabout
  • Take the 3rd exit to Colchester Road to rejoin the A1214 (Valley road)
  • Continue on A1214 (Yarmouth road) and turn right to Join A1214 (London Road)
  • Continue to Copdock Interchange

Drivers are also being warned that a stretch of the A14 will be closed over some nights from junction 52 near Claydon to junction 55 at the Copdock Interchange until approximately mid-November.

The closure will be in place between 8pm and 6am on weeknights to allow a new asphalt surface to be applied along the stretch of road.

A 10-mile diversion route will be in place from the B1113 through Bramford and Sproughton, A1071 and A1214, rejoining the A14 at the Copdock Interchange, and visa versa.