Nick Green believes the Ipswich Northern Bypass project is unlikely to move forward despite renewed calls from local MPs for its revival
Ipswich: Nick Green, who used to lead the Stop the Northern Bypass campaign, recently shared his thoughts on the project. He spoke up after Ipswich MP Jack Abbott reached out to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, asking for government help.
People have been pushing for the Northern Bypass as a fix for Ipswich’s traffic troubles. Lately, it seems like more local MPs are backing the idea, which has sparked fresh discussions.
Jack Abbott’s letter to the Prime Minister last week highlighted the ongoing concerns about traffic in the area. The last serious look at the bypass was back in 2019, but it got scrapped in early 2020 after a lot of protests.
Many locals, especially those living north of the town, weren’t on board with the bypass plan. They were worried about how it would affect their lives.
Even with the renewed interest from some MPs, Green feels not much has changed since the project was put on hold. He pointed out that accidents and breakdowns still happen around the Copdock Interchange, and a bypass wouldn’t really solve those issues.
He mentioned that every time there’s a traffic jam, some politician jumps in to call for a bypass, but he thinks it’s unlikely to happen. The estimated cost back then was around £600-700 million, but now it would be in the billions.
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Patrick Spencer is still against the bypass, saying it would have a terrible environmental impact. He believes it would only provide a temporary fix before traffic worsens again.
Some critics say those against the bypass haven’t offered any real alternatives. Back in 2019, three routes were proposed, but Green thinks a different project, the Upper Orwell Crossing, could be a better solution.
This crossing would cost much less and could help improve the area without causing as much environmental damage. Green argues it makes more sense than the bypass.
He’s puzzled why the Upper Orwell Crossing isn’t being considered more seriously. It seems like a smarter option to him, especially since we can’t just build roads every time there’s an accident.
Last week, Abbott’s letter urged the government to take the issue out of the political mess it’s in. Meanwhile, Spencer continues to advocate for other traffic solutions instead of the bypass.
