Network Rail has announced a new track that will help move freight from road to rail, with direct links to the Port of Felixstowe.

Construction will start on Saturday (October 5th) and end on the subsequent Monday, with a new bridge being installed over Sproughton Road alongside an existing one. This will form an important part of improving the area's railway network as it forms a direct line freight route between the Stowmarket and Felixstowe lines.

A new 1.2 km chord of track was also announced, connecting the East Suffolk line with the Great Eastern Main Line. Network Rail states this will prevent freight trains from Felixstowe having to use the sidings by Ipswich station, removing a troublesome bottleneck.

Route managing director Richard Schofield said: "The work we are doing at Ipswich, together with the other enhancements along the cross-country route between Felixstowe and Nuneaton in the West Midlands, is a key part of our plans to take more freight off roads and onto rail."

The development is expected to encourage 750,000 lorry trips off the road each year by 2030, helping to reduce both congestion and carbon emissions as a result.