GP at Felixstowe surgery was forced to cycle to work

Motorists experienced delays on roads leading into Ipswich and Felixstowe on Wednesday morning (January 14), more than 12 hours after the crash in which the driver of a lorry died on the A14. The truck overturned and came to rest on the opposite carriageway, blocking the A14 between junctions 58 and 59 at Kirton at 7pm, resulting in the closure of the dual carriageway in both directions. Paul Simon, head of public affairs and strategic communications at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said the traffic chaos "underscored" the lack of resilience in the road network (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Rush hour traffic was severely delayed on Wednesday morning in and around Ipswich with staff arriving late for work, including employees at medical centres and the Port of Felixstowe. A port spokesman said: "The port remained operational throughout although we were affected by people arriving late for work. "We are also allowing flexibility on vehicle booking times to recognise delays being suffered by hauliers."

There was traffic chaos on the A14 on Wednesday morning (Image: A14 traffic cameras) Paul Simon, head of public affairs and strategic communications at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, which represents the business community, said the chamber was calling for a range of measures to improve the situation.

The chamber has written to Suffolk's police and crime commissioner Tim Passmore seeking the implementation of variable speed limits and National Highways for improved re-routing and clean-ups after accidents.

"Firstly, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce is saddened to hear about the fatality in connection with the closure of the A14. "Our sympathies are very much with the driver's family and work colleagues. "Incidents such as the one at Trimley, once again underscore just how vulnerable businesses and residents are to the lack of a resilient road network around and between Felixstowe and Ipswich where there are so many points of systemic failure.

"In short, when the A14 is closed or disrupted at virtually any section along its route in Suffolk, businesses lose money and orders and communities lose patience as their lives are disrupted and their communities clogged with traffic," Mr Simon said. A GP at Haven Health surgery in Grange Farm Avenue, Felixstowe, Dr Paul Driscoll, was forced to cycle to his practice on Wednesday morning. On its Facebook page, the surgery said: "Please be aware due to prolonged closure of A14 Several of our staff are unable to get in to work so we will be running a reduced service and there may be some delays.

"We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Dr Driscoll is here on his bike."

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