Bridge to close with traffic set to be diverted

The warning comes as further overnight works are scheduled to take place at the A47 Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft.

From next week, Highways England is due to carry out repair works to the bridge over 12 nights.

It means that in order for the repairs to be carried out, the A47 Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft will be closed overnight from 8pm each evening next until 6am the following morning.

Repair work will be carried out on the Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft. Picture: Highways England (Image: Highways England)

The works are scheduled to take place from 8pm to 6am between November 30 and December 12 - with drivers likely to face delays as the bridge is closed and traffic is diverted.

As the bridge is temporarily closed, traffic restrictions will be in place with a diversion route of 6.4km in operation.

With this closure in place "delays are likely" according to the Suffolk Roadworks map.

It states: "A47 northbound Bascule Bridge carriageway closure and diversion route due to construction, with improvement and upgrade works."

The "essential maintenance works" will be carried out on the bridge from Monday, November 30 to Saturday, December 12, between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

While the A47 is closed, northbound traffic will be diverted via the A12, B1531, A1117, A1144 and A47.

Southbound traffic will follow the same diversion in reverse.

Highways England will be providing a free hourly bus service to take pedestrians between each side of the bridge via the diversion while it is closed.

The latest bridge closure comes after three nights of work had already been carried out on a couple of occasions this year.

It also comes just over a year after a "fault was found" during more than 20 nights of works to the bridge.

In November last year a fault with the hydraulics on the bridge caused widespread traffic chaos, as Highways England engineers were unable to lower it following the planned overnight works.