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Orwell Bridge closed westbound for two nights

News imageJohn Fairhall/BBC Traffic crossing over the Orwell Bridge in Suffolk, cones in place, and people working on the bridgeJohn Fairhall/BBC
National Highways apologised for any inconvenience caused while it repairs the Orwell Bridge

The Orwell Bridge will be partially closed for the next two days as repairs continue.

The entire westbound section of the A14 bridge, near Ipswich, will shut between 21:00 BST and 05:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The road is scheduled to fully reopen on Thursday 19 September by 05:00.

Diversions have been put in place.

The work has been deemed urgent after a routine inspection on 6 September identified one of the bridge joints was in a "potentially unsafe condition".

National Highways previously said: "Expansion joints on structures like the 42-year-old Orwell Bridge are specifically designed and an integral part of the road.

"As a result, it is not a simple task to replace/repair them and it requires specific equipment and planning to do."

News imageLuke Deal/BBC Cars driving on the A14, with traffic cones out for a lane closureLuke Deal/BBC
The entire westbound carriageway of the Orwell Bridge will be closed to allow repairs to be carried out
Things you didn't know about the Orwell Bridge

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