This is when Suffolk Highways hopes to open new link road between Europa Way and Bramford Road, Ipswich

A new link road in Ipswich could open next month as its construction crawls towards completion.

Suffolk Highways has provided an update on progress to build a link road between Bramford Road and Europa Way, which has been ongoing since September.

Bramford Road, between the A14 underpass and Weaver Close, has been closed to traffic since January 27.

This resulted in a seven mile diversion through Bramford and Sproughton and is set to reopen on February 28.

In its latest update, the authority said it hoped to open the new link road in March – while original estimates for the project’s completion sat at the end of April.

Since the start of the year, a footpath on the north side of Bramford Road has been finished, alongside new kerbs, drains and improvement to street lights.

In addition, work on a new mini roundabout has begun alongside the installation of new traffic islands.

A spokesperson for Suffolk Highways said surfacing on the new link road is set to start soon, with it expected to lay about 2,200 tonnes of asphalt.

The scheme aims to increase connectivity between Bramford Road and Sproughton Road.

Suffolk County Council hoped this would ease congestion in the area, which can get busy during peak hours, while mitigating traffic through residential streets.