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Storm Ciara: A14 Orwell Bridge due to close for 17 hours

BBC Orwell Bridge, IpswichBBC
The Orwell Bridge, which serves road traffic for the Port of Felixstowe, will be closed for 17 hours due to Storm Ciara

Concerns about high winds led to the planned closure of a bridge two days before during Storm Ciara was expected to hit.

Highways England initially said the A14 Orwell Bridge at Ipswich, Suffolk, would be shut for 15 hours, it increased that to 17 hours, from 02:00 GMT to 19:00 on Sunday.

The agency said the closure was subject to change, depending on forecasts.

An amber weather warning has been issued for eastern England on Sunday.

The amber warning, from the Met Office, means there is the risk of injuries and danger to life from flying debris, damage to buildings, and power cuts.

Highways England makes the decision to close the bridge when wind speeds are likely to exceed the threshold of 50mph (80km/h), depending on the wind direction.

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Ipswich Central, the business organisation, has previously estimated a bridge closure costs the town's economy £1m per weekday.