Ipswich Civic Drive subway waiting to reopen after one year

Suffolk Highways was requested to partially close the pedestrian subway at the junction where Civic Drive meets Norwich Road and the barriers surrounding were removed and put inside the entrances. 

The request to do so was made by a private company to allow wide loads to be taken into the town centre. 

However, a year after the request, the barriers have not been re-installed and the subway is not fully accessible - Suffolk Highways now says the work will be done after the passing of the abnormal load on Sunday. 

The subway was partially closed in October 2023. (Image: Shikhar Talwar) A Suffolk Highways spokesperson said: "The subway railings have been re-fabricated; however, additional mounting plates were required. 

"The installation will be programmed as soon as possible, after the next abnormal load move on Sunday, October 6."

In April, Suffolk County Council's highways committee had said that the railings were sent out for being galvanised after they were re-fabricated and designed to be moveable in case other abnormal loads were to go through the town. 

However, in July the highways team confirmed they were awaiting approvals and hoping for the work to be completed by mid July - but it still has not been done. 

Colin Kreidewolf has criticised the continuous delays of reopening the subway. (Image: Newsquest) Ipswich borough councillor for the area Colin Kreidewolf has complained of this issue, calling the barriers "unkept and dangerous".

He added: "It is very disappointing that this restoration keeps getting delayed.

"It has been a year now since the barriers were taken down and is unsightly as well as making one of the exits from the subway unusable."

He also mentioned an incident on Thursday where a driver at this junction had crashed through the remaining barriers and hit the nearby Tesco store.

Mr Kreidewolf says that this incident also questions the integrity of the current barriers and whether they are "fit for purpose".