Transport in Ipswich
Encyclopedia
Ipswich
is the county town
of Suffolk
, England. It is a medieval port and industrial town with a strong transport history; the urban area has a population of 122,000 and currently offers urban transport services for cars, cycles and buses. In addition there are 3 railway stations and regional coach services. Stansted airport is accessible by the airlink coach.
Urban transport within Ipswich is primarily based on the local road network based both on the historical street pattern and on newer roads. The town centre has been pedestrianised and there are a number of parks, footpaths and cycle routes. A small number of the paths have been identified as rights of way.
5,500 public parking places are available in the town centre, and there are two park and ride sites in Ipswich
; London Road (A14 Junction 55 / A12) and Martlesham (A12/A1214 road). Park and ride buses run every 10 minutes from 7am till 7pm Monday to Saturday.
A number of car rental companies operate within the town including Alamo car rental, Avis
, Enterprise rental, Europcar
, Hertz
, John Gross car rental and National Car Rental
. A car club
operates in the town with 2 cars available in Grange Farm
]
Services are provided by Ipswich Buses
(who run most of the town services), and by First Eastern Counties, Network Colchester
, Carters Coach Services
and Far East Travel who serve a wider area.
Town services mainly operate from Tower Ramparts bus station and regional services from the Ipswich Old Cattle Market bus station
which offers service to Diss
, Aldeburgh
, Felixstowe
, Colchester
, Sudbury
and Stowmarket
.
Route number 66
is a partially guided busway, operated by First Eastern Counties, serves Martlesham Heath
and Kesgrave
from the town and the railway station.
Ipswich is a small town which is well suited to cycling and the council has been investing significant sums of money in recent years to improve the facilities. There is a network of (partially) signed cycle routes and many other suitable routes. Grange Farm has some excellent tracks and the local school, Kesgrave High School
has one of the highest percentages of pupils cycling to school in the country. There is cycle storage available at all stations and there can be carried on all trains but space is sometimes limited (see Rail section below for details). BMX bikes can use the Ipswich BMX Track in Landseer Park and also the Ipswich Skate Park.
Regional Cycle Route 41
and Regional Cycle Route 42
serve the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
. National Cycle Cycle Route 1
(from Dover to Scotland) and National Cycle Cycle Route 51
(Colchester via Harwich and Felixstowe to Oxford) pass through Ipswich. Ipswich is also on the North Sea Cycle Route
. Cycle Ipswich, CTC
Suffolk and Sustrans
are all active in the town to promote more cycling and better facilities.
Ipswich has a number of large parks including Christchurch Park
, Holywells Park, Landseer Park, Gippswick Park and Bourne Park all with good footpaths; the cemetery also forms a useful pedestrian route and destination. Grange Farm in Kesgrave
in the outskirts of Ipswich is built round a network spine of cycle and footpaths. The Maidenhall area of Ipswich is also built round a central spine of footpaths. Kesgrave High School is accessible from the network via a pedestrian subway under the main road.
In 2009 the county council published a Definitive Map
showing 21 footpaths with associated public orders, the county recognises that this list is 'far from complete' and is working with other agencies to include further routes as information becomes available.
The requirement to produce a Definitive Map dates back to 1983 as outlined the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
however they note that no timescale was set down for when work should start or be completed; a first draft of which took 25 years in this case.
, Great Yarmouth
and the M25
. The A14 links the town with Cambridge
(57 miles (91.7 km)), the Midlands
and Felixstowe
. The A140
(single carriageway) links the town with Norwich
.
close to the town centre serves trains to Cambridge
, Felixstowe
, London Liverpool Street, Lowestoft
, Norwich
and Peterborough
; it also serves other stations located on the Great Eastern Main Line
, East Suffolk Line
, Ipswich to Ely Line
and Felixstowe Branch Line
. Derby Road station
serves Felixstowe, Trimley and Ipswich; Westerfield Station
serves stations on the East Suffolk Line to Lowestoft.
Lifts are currently being installed and should be open by May 2011.
There are cycle storage facilities available at all stations. It is also possible to take bicycles on trains on all services; trains to London have ample storage in the guards van which is located at the back of the train for services to London and at the front on the return. Other train services have limited cycle capacity, about 4 bicycles per train for Cambridge and the Felixstowe services on the East Suffolk Line. At certain times these can be fully used, there are particular problems on the East Suffolk Line in good weather where cyclists are often refused access on safety grounds.
Train services are operated by National Express East Anglia.
operate the 481 service to London and the 350 service to Cambridge
, Peterborough
, Leicester
and eventually to Liverpool
. There is also a direct coach service to Stansted Airport every 2 hours, 24 hours as day.
, both approximately 47 miles (75.6 km) away. An airlink coach service operates to Stansted. Between 1930 and 1996 there was a small airport within Ipswich (see history section below).
, timber, dry bulk cargo oil as well as a Ro-Ro terminal. It is one of the Haven ports
along with the Port of Felixstowe
and Harwich International.
is the transport authority and as such is in charge of transport policy and have published a Suffolk Local Transport Plan
for the period 2006-2011 which outlines the transport plans for the town and the rest of the county. They also publish an Ipswich Transport Strategy which provides more detailed information for the town. These documents are prepared in consultation with the borough council and with various other organisations and interest groups.
Ipswich Borough council is the planning authority and is required to publish a Local Development Framework (LDF) which outlines plans for the development of the town which necessarily includes some transport elements. A new LDF is currently in preparation. Ipswich Borough Council is also a 'delivery agent' for aspects of transport policy and often oversees the implementation of new transport schemes on the ground.
Ipswich is in the East of England
and transport policy needs to be 'broadly compliant' with the transport section of the Regional Spatial Strategy
which is produced by the East of England Regional Assembly
. It outlines the overall issues and plans for the region. It is a legal requirement for county and borough plans to be 'broad compliance' with the regional strategy.
has gained regional funding for a scheme to regenerate Ipswich's transport system at an estimated cost of £25 million.
However, following the Comprehensive Spending Review the Ipswich, Transport fit for the 21st Century was placed in the Department for Transport
's Supported Pool. It has since been approved as one of the best schemes in the Supported Pool and has had its funding confirmed.
The focus of the works is the development of sustainable travel links in and connecting to the town centre, which will have been outfitted with Urban Traffic Management and Control
equipment. Eight routes have been selected to be the focus of the development as Suffolk County Council views them as major routes into and from the town centre, the eight routes are:
The borough council also plans to expand both bus stations to facilitate the creation of new bus routes linking the town centre with housing developments towards the outskirts of town. Bus priority
measures as well as real time passenger information system
displays at bus stops is also planned to be implemented. The development of the bus services will tie in with the County Council's creation of travel plan
s for businesses and schools based in Ipswich.
The roundabout by the Willis Building is planned to be removed and the subway filled in with a crossroads with toucan crossings replacing it.
, as it will improve connections to and from the redeveloped waterfront area. Construction is expected to start in spring/summer 2010.
and the New Cut. The new road would start on Hollywells Road across a swing-bridge by the lock gates and then across the New Cut to Hawes Street. The scheme is not supported by Suffolk County Council (who are the transport authority), is not included in the 2006-2011 Suffolk Local Transport Plan or in their plans for the subsequent Local Transport Plan who estimate that the scheme would cost £79m.
and Rushmere through the Fynn Valley and probably run from the A12 road close to the park and ride site. The Borough Council feels that this road, which falls outside of the borough of Ipswich, is a necessary part of the town's infrastructure and are encouraging Suffolk County Council as well as the Suffolk Coastal
and Mid Suffolk
districts to bring the scheme, which it estimates would £90 million, forward for consideration. It could be considered for construction after 2016. A footnote at the end of the Local Development Framework states that only one of the Northern Bypass and Wet Dock Crossing may need to be built.
, in a bid to alleviate congestion over the Orwell Bridge. However due to lack of Highway Agency support as well as active opposition from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust
mean that Ipswich Borough Council is not proposing the link road at this time.
originally known as Pye Road
and part of which is now the A140
, linked Colchester
with Caistor St. Edmund
near Norwich. By the Middle Ages
wool was being exported from Ipswich by ship and by the 13th century there was a thriving shipbuilding industry. The wool trade boomed in the 16th century before declining in the 17th century.
The first known map of the town is dated 1539 which was created when Henry VIII
feared invasion from France and Spain. John Speed
then published an altas in 1611, 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine', which included a map of Ipswich
and John Ogilby
's 1675 'Britannia' Atlas map showed a three routes from Ipswich:-
The Highways Act 1555
(and subsequent Highways Act 1562
) placed responsibility of road maintenance on the local parishes. The first turnpike trust in Suffolk was established in 1741 to improve the road from Ipswich to Scole
via Claydon
. An old milestone
in Ipswich shows London as 69 miles (111 km) and Gt Yarmouth 54 miles (86.9 km) north. A daily coaching service to London operated at this time, but was expensive at 3d per mile according to Daniel Defoe
and the journey took 10 hours in 1762. A map from 1766 shows the predecessor of the A12 road passing through Rumford, Burntwood, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Woodbridge, Beckles and finally to Great Yarmouth. The 'Ipswich to South Town and Bungay Turnpike' Turnpike Trust
was established in 1785, operating between Ipswich and Great Yarmouth. By 1800 Ipswich was a prosperous town with a population of 11,000 and an act of parliament titled 'IPSWICH. PAVING ACT 1793' formed a body of men called the Paving Commissioners who were responsible for 'paving, lighting, cleansing, and otherwise improving the Town of Ipswich'. Street name plates had started to be used in 1778.
John Kirby
reported in 1732 that the trade in the town had recently reduced and that there had been 20 ships a year built in the town and having seen over 200 ships belonging to the town in the port during the winter. Pennington produced a map of the town in 1778.
The first abortive proposals to make the River Orwell
navigable as far as Stowmarket
were raised in 1719 but were dropped after objections from the Ipswich Corporation
. Further plans were raised in 1790 and the work was completed by 1793 after which numerous maltings were soon operating in Stowmarket. The cost of the work on what was sometimes referred to as the 'Stowmarket Canal' was £26,380.
The Ipswich Steam Navigation Company was formed in 1824/1825 during a period of 'steamship mania'. It started a steamer service between Ipswich and London calling at Walton on the Naze
was dug in 1842 to accommodate booming commercial coastal trade. The first railway station opened in Ipswich in 1846 providing services to Colchester and London using the Great Eastern Main Line
and to Bury St Edmunds using the Ipswich to Ely Line
. Services to Norwich started in 1849, to Cambridge in 1851 and in 1859 the East Suffolk Line
provided services as far as Great Yarmouth
. The station moved to its current location in 1860. The Highway Act 1835
had introduced legislation placed the responsibility of maintenance of roads with the parish surveyor (and also introduced a number of 'rules of the road' such as riding on the left). The Ipswich to South Town and Bungay Turnpike trust was wound up in 1872 following the arrival of the railway. The new county councils took over responsibility for roads and bridges in 1889 following the Local Government Act 1888
.
The Tramways Act 1870
encouraged the introduction of tramways and a Horse tramway was introduced in 1879; by 1884 there were three route extensions and the fleet consisted of six single deck and two double deck cars hauled by a pool of 18 horses. The Public Health Act 1875
required towns to have pavements and street lighting (and also effective sewerage systems). The network was compulsorily purchased in 1901 and services stopped in 1903 after which the network we rebuilt as an electric tram network. Ipswich Omnibus Service established a horse bus service in 1898 which competed with the horse tramway by offering lower fares. The horse buses could not however compete with the electrics trams and ceased operation in 1903 when the trams were introduced.
The Woolwich Steam Packet Company
, later the 'London Steamship Company', operated an excursion steamer
service between Ipswich and London from before 1871 until 1887; in 1878 one of their ships, the SS Princess Alice sank with the loss of some 700 lives while on an excursion in the Thames estuary. Following the collapse of the 'London Steamship Company' in 1887 the 'London, Woolwich & Clacton-on-Sea Steamboat Company' was formed offering services between London and Clacton; an additional service to Ipswich started in about 1893. The Woolwich Belle acted as a feeder service between Ipswich and Clacton from where the London service operated. After two changes of ownership and ambitious development of both steamer and on-land leisure facilities offering attractions and services at Walton-on-the-Naze
, Felixstowe
, Southwold
and Great Yarmouth
the company was wound up in 1905.
started late in 1903 when the population was some 66,000; the trams seated 50 passengers, 24 of whom travelled on the top deck. The tram system was replaced by an electric trolleybus
system in 1926. The first trolleybuses ran in Ipswich in 1923 between Cornhill to Ipswich railway station
. By 1940, 41 double deck vehicles were in use and a further 25 vehicles delivered between 1948 and 1950. The last trolleybus ran in 1963.
Ipswich Airport
opened in 1930 and offered regular flights to Clacton, Southend and Jersey
and later to the Netherlands and Manchester
. All speed limits for cars were abolished the same year by the Road Traffic Act 1930
only to have a 30 mph urban speed re-introduced by the Road Traffic Act 1934
. The first motorbuses operated in 1950, by 1960 a further 51 motorbuses had been purchased and by 1963 when the trolley bus system services ended there was a fleet of 62 motorbuses. In 1959 the Beccles to Great Yarmouth section of the East Suffolk Line was closed and the whole line from Ipswich was threatened with closure as part of the Beeching Axe
in the early 1960s.
In 1962 the government appointed consultants to consider the feasibility of expanding Ipswich, Peterborough and Worcester to meet the growing demand from housing from London and Birmingham. In February 1965 Richard Crossman
, the minister of Ministry of Housing and Local Government
confirmed the go-ahead for Ipswich, Peterborough and Northampton as new Towns using the New Towns Act 1965. A report, Expanding Ipswich published in September 1965 by the consultants, suggested that the population would grow from 120,000 to 250,000 by 1985. Ipswich was rejected at public inquiry in 1969.
Construction of Civic Drive (an urban dual-carriageway), Franciscan Way and associated roundabouts started in 1963 and the new roads opened in 1966. The Spiral Car Park was completed early in 1967.
During the 1980s new sections of the A14 and A12 were built around the west, south and east of the town. The 'Star Lane gyratory' was also constructed and the London road route into town from Copdock and Wherstead Road route were widened.
In 1984 the East Suffolk Line was reduced to single-track in places making it impossible to run an hourly service from Ipswich in the direction of Lowestoft. There are now plans to dual an additional section of the line to allow an hourly service. In 1986, following Bus deregulation in Great Britain the bus operation was transfer to a new private company, Ipswich Buses
.
In 1989 the conservative government published the Roads for Prosperity
white paper which was heralded as the 'largest road building program for the UK since the Romans' which would have resulted in the A12 being widened to dual 3 lane between Ipswich and London and to dual 2 lane as far as Lowestoft; the A140 to Norwich would have been widened to dual 2 lane. Plans were greatly scaled back after major road protests at Newbury bypass
and Twyford Down
and other locations.
The final section of the A14 road between Ipswich and the M6 motorway
was opened in 1991. Ipswich Airport
was de-licensed in 1996 and the area was re-developed into the residential district of Ravenswood
with the front of the Grade 2 listed control building, designed by Heining and Chitty in 1938, integrated into new scheme.
Crown Street car park with 1000 bays was closed in November 2009 due to long standing structural problems with the concrete after a routine inspection and is now expected to be demolished.
is a museum
in Ipswich
devoted principally to the history of road vehicles as represented by those used or built in its local area. Its collection of more than 85 vehicles includes tram
s and trolley- and motor-bus
es from Ipswich Corporation Transport
, the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company
and other local operators; commercial vehicle
s; fire apparatus
; mobile cranes
; bicycle
s; bier
s; horse-drawn vehicle
s; prams
; and wheelchair
s. There is a good representation of the Ipswich manufacturers Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies
and Ransomes & Rapier and of electric vehicle
s.
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
is the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England. It is a medieval port and industrial town with a strong transport history; the urban area has a population of 122,000 and currently offers urban transport services for cars, cycles and buses. In addition there are 3 railway stations and regional coach services. Stansted airport is accessible by the airlink coach.
Urban transport
]Urban transport within Ipswich is primarily based on the local road network based both on the historical street pattern and on newer roads. The town centre has been pedestrianised and there are a number of parks, footpaths and cycle routes. A small number of the paths have been identified as rights of way.
Car parking and rental
Residential areas close to the town centre are covered by residents parking zones and general parking is not permitted.5,500 public parking places are available in the town centre, and there are two park and ride sites in Ipswich
Ipswich park and ride
Ipswich Park and Ride is a park and ride service operating in the town of Ipswich. The services operate from 2 purpose-built sites around the outskirts of the town. First Eastern Counties is the current operator, with Ipswich Buses operating the services until 2008....
; London Road (A14 Junction 55 / A12) and Martlesham (A12/A1214 road). Park and ride buses run every 10 minutes from 7am till 7pm Monday to Saturday.
A number of car rental companies operate within the town including Alamo car rental, Avis
Avis Rent A Car System
Avis Rent a Car System, LLC is a car rental company headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey, United States. Avis, Budget Rent a Car and Budget Truck Rental are all units of Avis Budget Group....
, Enterprise rental, Europcar
Europcar
Europcar is a Paris based car rental company owned by the French investment company Eurazeo, after its sale by the Volkswagen group. The company was founded in Paris in 1949...
, Hertz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
, John Gross car rental and National Car Rental
National Car Rental
National Car Rental is a rental car company based in Clayton, Missouri. National was founded by 24 independent rental car agents on August 27, 1947...
. A car club
Carsharing
Car sharing or Carsharing is a model of car rental where people rent cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. They are attractive to customers who make only occasional use of a vehicle, as well as others who would like occasional access to a vehicle of a different type than they use...
operates in the town with 2 cars available in Grange Farm
Bus
See also: List of bus routes in Ipswich & Woodbridge]
Services are provided by Ipswich Buses
Ipswich Buses
Ipswich Buses Ltd is a bus company that operates in Ipswich, Suffolk, UK and has been doing so for over 100 years. Its depot is situated in Constantine Road, near Ipswich Town's football ground...
(who run most of the town services), and by First Eastern Counties, Network Colchester
Network Colchester
Network Colchester is a Tellings-Golden Miller bus operating company. TGM have upgraded the fleet, and it is no longer the second from bottom bus company, profit wise...
, Carters Coach Services
Carters Coach Services
Carters Coach Services or just Carters is an independent bus operator based in Capel St Mary in Suffolk, England. The company operates services over a wide area in both Suffolk and Essex, running a fleet of around 15 buses....
and Far East Travel who serve a wider area.
Town services mainly operate from Tower Ramparts bus station and regional services from the Ipswich Old Cattle Market bus station
Ipswich Old Cattle Market bus station
Ipswich Old Cattle Market bus station, also known as the Buttermarket bus station, is the bus station for regional services from the town of Ipswich, Suffolk, England....
which offers service to Diss
Diss
Diss is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers . The mere is up to deep, although there is another of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes...
, Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh is a coastal town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. Located on the River Alde, the town is notable for its Blue Flag shingle beach and fisherman huts where freshly caught fish are sold daily, and the Aldeburgh Yacht Club...
, Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Sudbury
Sudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury is a small, ancient market town in the county of Suffolk, England, on the River Stour, from Colchester and from London.-Early history:...
and Stowmarket
Stowmarket
-See also:* Stowmarket Town F.C.* Stowmarket High School-External links:* * * * *...
.
Route number 66
Ipswich Rapid Transit
Ipswich Rapid Transit is a bus system in Suffolk, England. Operated by First Eastern Counties, part of the First Group, it has a short 0.5-kilometre stretch of guided busway. Like its counterparts in Leeds and Bradford the busway was something of an experimental venture. The route was launched in...
is a partially guided busway, operated by First Eastern Counties, serves Martlesham Heath
Martlesham Heath
Martlesham Heath village is situated 6 miles east of Ipswich, in Suffolk, England. This was an ancient area of heathland and latterly the site of Martlesham Heath Airfield...
and Kesgrave
Kesgrave
Kesgrave is a small town in the English county of Suffolk on the northern edge of Ipswich.-Early history:The town was recorded as Gressgrava in the Domesday Book, by the late 15th century its name had become Kesgrave...
from the town and the railway station.
Cycle
]Ipswich is a small town which is well suited to cycling and the council has been investing significant sums of money in recent years to improve the facilities. There is a network of (partially) signed cycle routes and many other suitable routes. Grange Farm has some excellent tracks and the local school, Kesgrave High School
Kesgrave High School
Kesgrave High School is a secondary school in Kesgrave, Suffolk in the United Kingdom.The School has a very good reputation after being rated as "outstanding" by OFSTED, which in 2011 actively encouraged KHS to promote to Academy Status, this decision was considered and the board of governors voted...
has one of the highest percentages of pupils cycling to school in the country. There is cycle storage available at all stations and there can be carried on all trains but space is sometimes limited (see Rail section below for details). BMX bikes can use the Ipswich BMX Track in Landseer Park and also the Ipswich Skate Park.
Regional Cycle Route 41
Regional Cycle Route 41
Regional Cycle Route 41 in Suffolk runs from Snape to Bramfield through the Suffolk Coast and Heaths, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.Links to* National Cycle Route 1 at Felixstowe and also near Bruisyard* NCR 51 at Felixstowe* RCR 42 at Snape...
and Regional Cycle Route 42
Regional Cycle Route 42
Regional Cycle Route 42 is a regional bicycling route in Suffolk, England from Snape to Bramfield through the Suffolk Coast and Heaths, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Snape to Minsmere:Snape | Friston | Knodishall | Eastbridge | Dunwich | Bramfield...
serve the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
. National Cycle Cycle Route 1
NCR 1
-Dover to Canterbury:Dover | Deal | Sandwich | CanterburyLinks with NCR 2, Regional route 16, and Regional route 17 in Dover. Leaves Dover passing Dover Castle. South Foreland Lighthouse is visible from the route. Mostly traffic-free along the east coast from Kingsdown to Deal, passing Walmer...
(from Dover to Scotland) and National Cycle Cycle Route 51
NCR 51
National Cycle Route 51 is an English long distance cycle route running broadly east-west connecting Colchester and the port of Harwich to Oxford via Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge.Links to:* National Cycle Route 1 at Colchester and Ipswich...
(Colchester via Harwich and Felixstowe to Oxford) pass through Ipswich. Ipswich is also on the North Sea Cycle Route
North Sea Cycle Route
The North Sea Cycle Route is a 6000 km cycle route through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. It is also known as EuroVelo route 12 ....
. Cycle Ipswich, CTC
CTC
-Government bodies:* Calcutta Tramways Company* California Commission on Teacher Credentialing* Canadian Tourism Commission* Counter-Terrorism Committee * Counterterrorism Center or CTIC-Educational institutes:* Central Texas College...
Suffolk and Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
are all active in the town to promote more cycling and better facilities.
Rights of way
]Ipswich has a number of large parks including Christchurch Park
Christchurch Park
Christchurch Park is a area of rolling lawns, wooded areas, and delicately created arboreta in central Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It contains Christchurch Mansion which holds a public museum and art gallery. The park opened as the town's first public park in 1895.-History:From the 12th century the...
, Holywells Park, Landseer Park, Gippswick Park and Bourne Park all with good footpaths; the cemetery also forms a useful pedestrian route and destination. Grange Farm in Kesgrave
Kesgrave
Kesgrave is a small town in the English county of Suffolk on the northern edge of Ipswich.-Early history:The town was recorded as Gressgrava in the Domesday Book, by the late 15th century its name had become Kesgrave...
in the outskirts of Ipswich is built round a network spine of cycle and footpaths. The Maidenhall area of Ipswich is also built round a central spine of footpaths. Kesgrave High School is accessible from the network via a pedestrian subway under the main road.
In 2009 the county council published a Definitive Map
Definitive Map
The Definitive Map is a record of public rights of way in England and Wales. In law it is the definitive record of where a right of way is located. The highway authority has a statutory duty to maintain the Definitive Map, though in national parks the National Park Authority usually maintains the...
showing 21 footpaths with associated public orders, the county recognises that this list is 'far from complete' and is working with other agencies to include further routes as information becomes available.
The requirement to produce a Definitive Map dates back to 1983 as outlined the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom and was implemented to comply with the Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds...
however they note that no timescale was set down for when work should start or be completed; a first draft of which took 25 years in this case.
Car
The A12 links Ipswich to London (84 miles (135.2 km)), LowestoftLowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and the M25
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
. The A14 links the town with Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
(57 miles (91.7 km)), the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
. The A140
A140 road
The A140 is an 'A-class' road in Norfolk and Suffolk, East Anglia, England partly following the route of the Roman Pye Road. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market to the A149 south of Cromer. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles in length...
(single carriageway) links the town with Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
.
Rail
Ipswich railway stationIpswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
close to the town centre serves trains to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
, London Liverpool Street, Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
; it also serves other stations located on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
, East Suffolk Line
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
, Ipswich to Ely Line
Ipswich to Ely Line
The Ipswich to Ely Line is a railway line linking East Anglia to the English Midlands via Ely. There is also a branch line to . Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia...
and Felixstowe Branch Line
Felixstowe Branch Line
The Felixstowe Branch Line is a railway line from Ipswich to Felixstowe in Suffolk. The line follows the East Suffolk Line from Ipswich to Westerfield, and then diverges to the south. Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia...
. Derby Road station
Derby Road (Ipswich) railway station
Derby Road is a railway station serving the Rose Hill area of Ipswich in Suffolk. The station is situated on the Ipswich-Felixstowe line. In the eighties there were rail served coal and scrapyards here, but these have now closed...
serves Felixstowe, Trimley and Ipswich; Westerfield Station
Westerfield railway station
Westerfield is a railway station in Westerfield Suffolk, England. The station is a junction of the Felixstowe Branch Line to Felixstowe, and the East Suffolk Line to Lowestoft 6 km east of Ipswich. Westerfield is a small village north of Ipswich and the station is situated on the south side...
serves stations on the East Suffolk Line to Lowestoft.
Lifts are currently being installed and should be open by May 2011.
There are cycle storage facilities available at all stations. It is also possible to take bicycles on trains on all services; trains to London have ample storage in the guards van which is located at the back of the train for services to London and at the front on the return. Other train services have limited cycle capacity, about 4 bicycles per train for Cambridge and the Felixstowe services on the East Suffolk Line. At certain times these can be fully used, there are particular problems on the East Suffolk Line in good weather where cyclists are often refused access on safety grounds.
Train services are operated by National Express East Anglia.
Coach
A number of nearby towns and villages can be accessed by Bus. For longer journeys National ExpressNational Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
operate the 481 service to London and the 350 service to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
and eventually to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. There is also a direct coach service to Stansted Airport every 2 hours, 24 hours as day.
Air
The nearest international flights are from Stansted Airport and Norwich International AirportNorwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
, both approximately 47 miles (75.6 km) away. An airlink coach service operates to Stansted. Between 1930 and 1996 there was a small airport within Ipswich (see history section below).
Shipping
The Port of Ipswich, operated by Associated British Ports offers a mix of facilities for handling containersContainerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
, timber, dry bulk cargo oil as well as a Ro-Ro terminal. It is one of the Haven ports
Haven ports
The Haven Ports are a group of five ports on the East Coast of England, these are Port of Felixstowe, Port of Ipswich, Harwich International, Harwich Navyard and Mistley...
along with the Port of Felixstowe
Port of Felixstowe
The Port of Felixstowe, in Felixstowe, Suffolk is the UK's busiest container port, dealing with 35% of the country's container cargo. It was developed following the abandonment of a project for a deep-water harbour at Maplin Sands. In 2005, it was ranked as the 28th busiest container port in the...
and Harwich International.
Planning
Suffolk County CouncilSuffolk County Council
Suffolk County Council is the administrative authority for the county of Suffolk, England. It is run by 72 elected county councillors representing 63 divisions...
is the transport authority and as such is in charge of transport policy and have published a Suffolk Local Transport Plan
Local Transport Plan
Local transport plans, divided into full local transport plans and local implementation plans for transport are an important part of transport planning in England...
for the period 2006-2011 which outlines the transport plans for the town and the rest of the county. They also publish an Ipswich Transport Strategy which provides more detailed information for the town. These documents are prepared in consultation with the borough council and with various other organisations and interest groups.
Ipswich Borough council is the planning authority and is required to publish a Local Development Framework (LDF) which outlines plans for the development of the town which necessarily includes some transport elements. A new LDF is currently in preparation. Ipswich Borough Council is also a 'delivery agent' for aspects of transport policy and often oversees the implementation of new transport schemes on the ground.
Ipswich is in the East of England
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
and transport policy needs to be 'broadly compliant' with the transport section of the Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional Spatial Strategy
Regional spatial strategies provided regional level planning frameworks for the regions of England outside London. They were introduced in 2004...
which is produced by the East of England Regional Assembly
East of England Regional Assembly
The East of England Regional Assembly was the regional assembly for the East of England region of the United Kingdom. It was based at Flempton, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. The assembly was created as a voluntary regional chamber in 1998 by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. The first...
. It outlines the overall issues and plans for the region. It is a legal requirement for county and borough plans to be 'broad compliance' with the regional strategy.
Ipswich Fit for the 21st Century
Suffolk County CouncilSuffolk County Council
Suffolk County Council is the administrative authority for the county of Suffolk, England. It is run by 72 elected county councillors representing 63 divisions...
has gained regional funding for a scheme to regenerate Ipswich's transport system at an estimated cost of £25 million.
However, following the Comprehensive Spending Review the Ipswich, Transport fit for the 21st Century was placed in the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
's Supported Pool. It has since been approved as one of the best schemes in the Supported Pool and has had its funding confirmed.
The focus of the works is the development of sustainable travel links in and connecting to the town centre, which will have been outfitted with Urban Traffic Management and Control
Urban Traffic Management and Control
The Urban Traffic Management Control or UTMC programme is the main initiative of the UK Department for Transport for the development of a more open approach to Intelligent Transport Systems or ITS in urban areas....
equipment. Eight routes have been selected to be the focus of the development as Suffolk County Council views them as major routes into and from the town centre, the eight routes are:
- Major's Corner - the Waterfront via Upper Orwell Street
- Northgate Street - the Waterfront via Upper Brook Street
- Woodbridge Road - the Waterfront via Grimwade Street
- Ipswich Railway StationIpswich railway stationIpswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
- Princes Street via Ipswich Village - Ipswich Railway Station - the Waterfront via Cardinal Park
- Norwich Road - Princes Street via Portman Road
- The Buttermarket - St Helen's Street via Tacket Street
- Henley Road - Fonnereau Road via Willis BuildingWillis Building (Ipswich)The Willis building in Ipswich, England is one of the earliest buildings designed by Norman Foster after establishing Foster Associates. Constructed between 1970 and 1975 for the insurance firm now known as Willis Group Holdings, it is now seen as a landmark in the development of the 'high tech'...
The borough council also plans to expand both bus stations to facilitate the creation of new bus routes linking the town centre with housing developments towards the outskirts of town. Bus priority
Bus priority
Bus priority or transit signal priority is a name for various techniques to speed up bus public transport services at intersections with traffic signals amongst other methods. Trams and light rail vehicles can also be given priority...
measures as well as real time passenger information system
Passenger information system
A passenger information [display] system is an electronic information system which provides real-time passenger information. It may include both predictions about arrival and departure times, as well as information about the nature and causes of disruptions...
displays at bus stops is also planned to be implemented. The development of the bus services will tie in with the County Council's creation of travel plan
Travel plan
A travel plan is a package of actions designed by a workplace, school or other organisation to encourage safe, healthy and sustainable travel options. By reducing car travel, Travel Plans can improve health and wellbeing, free up carparking space, and make a positive contribution to the community...
s for businesses and schools based in Ipswich.
The roundabout by the Willis Building is planned to be removed and the subway filled in with a crossroads with toucan crossings replacing it.
Duke Street Junction Improvements
Suffolk County Council has proposed plans to reduce congestion in the Duke Street-Fore Hamlet area, this is to be achieved through work on the junctions and rights of way along the route. The scheme is funded through the Community Infrastructure FundCommunity Infrastructure Fund
Community Infrastructure Fund is a UK government initiative created as a joint venture by the Department for Transport and the Department for Communities and Local Government., it was created following the recommendation of the Barker Review of Housing Supply.CIF was created to fund transport...
, as it will improve connections to and from the redeveloped waterfront area. Construction is expected to start in spring/summer 2010.
Ipswich Wet Dock Crossing
Ipswich Borough Council has proposed to build a controversial new road across the lock gate to the Ipswich dockIpswich dock
The Ipswich Dock, is the area of land around the dock in the town of Ipswich at a bend of the River Orwell which has been used for trade since at least the 8th Century. A wet dock was constructed in 1842 which was 'the biggest enclosed dock in the kingdom' at the time...
and the New Cut. The new road would start on Hollywells Road across a swing-bridge by the lock gates and then across the New Cut to Hawes Street. The scheme is not supported by Suffolk County Council (who are the transport authority), is not included in the 2006-2011 Suffolk Local Transport Plan or in their plans for the subsequent Local Transport Plan who estimate that the scheme would cost £79m.
Ipswich Northern Bypass
The Borough Council has included a proposed Ipswich Northern Bypass that would connect from the A14 to the west of Ipswich passing to the north of WesterfieldWesterfield
Westerfield is a village in Suffolk, England.It is located approximately two miles north of the centre of Ipswich. The village is served by Westerfield railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line....
and Rushmere through the Fynn Valley and probably run from the A12 road close to the park and ride site. The Borough Council feels that this road, which falls outside of the borough of Ipswich, is a necessary part of the town's infrastructure and are encouraging Suffolk County Council as well as the Suffolk Coastal
Suffolk Coastal
Suffolk Coastal is a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council is based in Woodbridge. Other towns include Felixstowe.The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the municipal borough of Aldeburgh, along with Felixstowe,...
and Mid Suffolk
Mid Suffolk
Mid Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England. Its council is based in Needham Market, and the largest town is Stowmarket.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Borough of Eye, Stowmarket urban district, Gipping Rural District, Hartismere Rural District and...
districts to bring the scheme, which it estimates would £90 million, forward for consideration. It could be considered for construction after 2016. A footnote at the end of the Local Development Framework states that only one of the Northern Bypass and Wet Dock Crossing may need to be built.
East Bank Link Road
Ipswich Borough Council has aspirations for an East Bank Link Road, which would join the A14 and Ipswich PortIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, in a bid to alleviate congestion over the Orwell Bridge. However due to lack of Highway Agency support as well as active opposition from the Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
The Suffolk Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the county of Suffolk, England.Suffolk Wildlife Trust is the county's leading conservation charity dedicated to all wildlife. Its aim is to create a Living Landscape where wildlife flourishes throughout the countryside, towns and villages...
mean that Ipswich Borough Council is not proposing the link road at this time.
Additional car club bays
There are private proposals to introduce more car-club cars within Ipswich itself although these do not yet have the active support of the council.Early history
A Roman roadRoman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
originally known as Pye Road
Pye Road
Pye Road is a Roman road running from Camulodunum to Venta Icenorum -Route:The road runs from Camulodunum to Venta Icenorum partly sharing a route with the A140 road.-References:...
and part of which is now the A140
A140 road
The A140 is an 'A-class' road in Norfolk and Suffolk, East Anglia, England partly following the route of the Roman Pye Road. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market to the A149 south of Cromer. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles in length...
, linked Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
with Caistor St. Edmund
Caistor St. Edmund
Caistor St Edmund is a village on the River Tas, near Norwich, Norfolk, England. It covers an area of and had a population of 270 in 116 households at the 2001 census....
near Norwich. By the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
wool was being exported from Ipswich by ship and by the 13th century there was a thriving shipbuilding industry. The wool trade boomed in the 16th century before declining in the 17th century.
The first known map of the town is dated 1539 which was created when Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
feared invasion from France and Spain. John Speed
John Speed
John Speed was an English historian and cartographer.-Life:He was born at Farndon, Cheshire, and went into his father's tailoring business where he worked until he was about 50...
then published an altas in 1611, 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine', which included a map of Ipswich
and John Ogilby
John Ogilby
John Ogilby was a Scottish translator, impresario and cartographer. Best known for publishing the first British road atlas, he was also a successful translator, noted for publishing his work in handsome illustrated editions.-Life:Ogilby was born in or near Killemeare in November 1600...
's 1675 'Britannia' Atlas map showed a three routes from Ipswich:-
- ColchesterColchesterColchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, IpswichIpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, SaxmundhamSaxmundhamSaxmundham is a small market town in Suffolk, England. It is set in the valley of the River Fromus, a tributary of the River Alde, approximately northeast of Ipswich and west of the coast at Sizewell. The town is bypassed by the A12 and is served by Saxmundham railway station on the East Suffolk...
, BecclesBecclesBeccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
, YarmouthGreat YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea... - HuntingdonHuntingdonHuntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
, ElyEly, CambridgeshireEly is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about by road from London. It is built on a Lower Greensand island, which at a maximum elevation of is the highest land in the Fens...
, Bury St Edmunds, IpswichIpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell... - IpswichIpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, ThwaiteThwaite, SuffolkThwaite is a rural village in England.Thwaite is based on and around the A140 road, midway between Suffolk's county town of Ipswich and the city of Norwich, in Norfolk...
, NorwichNorwichNorwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, CromerCromerCromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
The Highways Act 1555
Highways Act 1555
The Highways Act 1555 , sometimes the First Statute of Highways, was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England passed in 1555...
(and subsequent Highways Act 1562
Highways Act 1562
The Highways Act 1562 , sometimes the Second Statute of Highways, was an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of England passed in 1563...
) placed responsibility of road maintenance on the local parishes. The first turnpike trust in Suffolk was established in 1741 to improve the road from Ipswich to Scole
Scole
Scole is a village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in England. It is 19 miles south of Norwich and lay on the old Roman road to Venta Icenorum, which was the main road until it was bypassed with a dual carriageway...
via Claydon
Claydon, Suffolk
Claydon is a small village just north of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The meaning of the name is 'clay-on-the-hill', though it is not much of a hill....
. An old milestone
Milestone
A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They are typically located at the side of the road or in a median. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts...
in Ipswich shows London as 69 miles (111 km) and Gt Yarmouth 54 miles (86.9 km) north. A daily coaching service to London operated at this time, but was expensive at 3d per mile according to Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
and the journey took 10 hours in 1762. A map from 1766 shows the predecessor of the A12 road passing through Rumford, Burntwood, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Woodbridge, Beckles and finally to Great Yarmouth. The 'Ipswich to South Town and Bungay Turnpike' Turnpike Trust
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
was established in 1785, operating between Ipswich and Great Yarmouth. By 1800 Ipswich was a prosperous town with a population of 11,000 and an act of parliament titled 'IPSWICH. PAVING ACT 1793' formed a body of men called the Paving Commissioners who were responsible for 'paving, lighting, cleansing, and otherwise improving the Town of Ipswich'. Street name plates had started to be used in 1778.
John Kirby
John Kirby (topographer)
John Kirby was an English land surveyor and topographer. His book The Suffolk Traveller, first published in 1735, was the first single county road-book....
reported in 1732 that the trade in the town had recently reduced and that there had been 20 ships a year built in the town and having seen over 200 ships belonging to the town in the port during the winter. Pennington produced a map of the town in 1778.
The first abortive proposals to make the River Orwell
River Orwell
The River Orwell flows through the county of Suffolk in England. Its source river, above the tidal limit at Stoke Bridge, is known as the River Gipping. It broadens into an estuary at Ipswich where the Ipswich dock has operated since the 7th century and then flows into the North Sea at Felixstowe...
navigable as far as Stowmarket
Stowmarket
-See also:* Stowmarket Town F.C.* Stowmarket High School-External links:* * * * *...
were raised in 1719 but were dropped after objections from the Ipswich Corporation
Ipswich Corporation
The Ipswich Corporation was a municipal corporation that owned property and government to town. The corporation kept highly details accounts of their operation, a great deal of which survives to this day...
. Further plans were raised in 1790 and the work was completed by 1793 after which numerous maltings were soon operating in Stowmarket. The cost of the work on what was sometimes referred to as the 'Stowmarket Canal' was £26,380.
The Ipswich Steam Navigation Company was formed in 1824/1825 during a period of 'steamship mania'. It started a steamer service between Ipswich and London calling at Walton on the Naze
Victorian expansion
The Ipswich wet dockIpswich dock
The Ipswich Dock, is the area of land around the dock in the town of Ipswich at a bend of the River Orwell which has been used for trade since at least the 8th Century. A wet dock was constructed in 1842 which was 'the biggest enclosed dock in the kingdom' at the time...
was dug in 1842 to accommodate booming commercial coastal trade. The first railway station opened in Ipswich in 1846 providing services to Colchester and London using the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
and to Bury St Edmunds using the Ipswich to Ely Line
Ipswich to Ely Line
The Ipswich to Ely Line is a railway line linking East Anglia to the English Midlands via Ely. There is also a branch line to . Passenger services are operated by National Express East Anglia...
. Services to Norwich started in 1849, to Cambridge in 1851 and in 1859 the East Suffolk Line
East Suffolk Line
The East Suffolk Line is an un-electrified secondary railway line running between Ipswich and Lowestoft in Suffolk, England. The traffic along the route consists of passenger services operated by National Express East Anglia, while nuclear flask trains for the Sizewell nuclear power stations are...
provided services as far as Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
. The station moved to its current location in 1860. The Highway Act 1835
Highway Act 1835
Highway Act 1835 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.The Highway Act 1835 places highways under the direction of parish surveyors, and allows them to pay for the costs involved by rates levied on the occupiers of land...
had introduced legislation placed the responsibility of maintenance of roads with the parish surveyor (and also introduced a number of 'rules of the road' such as riding on the left). The Ipswich to South Town and Bungay Turnpike trust was wound up in 1872 following the arrival of the railway. The new county councils took over responsibility for roads and bridges in 1889 following the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
.
The Tramways Act 1870
Tramways Act 1870
The Tramways Act 1870 was an important step in the development of urban transport in Britain. Street tramways had originated in the United States, and were introduced to Britain by George Francis Train in the 1860s, the first recorded installation being a short line from Woodside Ferry to...
encouraged the introduction of tramways and a Horse tramway was introduced in 1879; by 1884 there were three route extensions and the fleet consisted of six single deck and two double deck cars hauled by a pool of 18 horses. The Public Health Act 1875
Public Health Act 1875
The Public Health Act 1875 was established in the United Kingdom to combat filthy urban living conditions, which caused various public health threats, including the spread of many diseases such as cholera and typhus. Reformers wanted to resolve sanitary problems, because sewage was flowing down the...
required towns to have pavements and street lighting (and also effective sewerage systems). The network was compulsorily purchased in 1901 and services stopped in 1903 after which the network we rebuilt as an electric tram network. Ipswich Omnibus Service established a horse bus service in 1898 which competed with the horse tramway by offering lower fares. The horse buses could not however compete with the electrics trams and ceased operation in 1903 when the trams were introduced.
The Woolwich Steam Packet Company
Woolwich Steam Packet Company
The Woolwich Steam Packet Company , operated between 1834 and 1888 and offered steamer services from central London to Woolwich and later to the Kent, Essex and Suffolk...
, later the 'London Steamship Company', operated an excursion steamer
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
service between Ipswich and London from before 1871 until 1887; in 1878 one of their ships, the SS Princess Alice sank with the loss of some 700 lives while on an excursion in the Thames estuary. Following the collapse of the 'London Steamship Company' in 1887 the 'London, Woolwich & Clacton-on-Sea Steamboat Company' was formed offering services between London and Clacton; an additional service to Ipswich started in about 1893. The Woolwich Belle acted as a feeder service between Ipswich and Clacton from where the London service operated. After two changes of ownership and ambitious development of both steamer and on-land leisure facilities offering attractions and services at Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
, Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
, Southwold
Southwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
the company was wound up in 1905.
20th century
Public services of the electric tramsIpswich Corporation Tramways
Ipswich Corporation Tramways was an electric tramway system that served the town of Ipswich in Suffolk from 23 November 1903 until 26 July 1926.-Horse tramway:...
started late in 1903 when the population was some 66,000; the trams seated 50 passengers, 24 of whom travelled on the top deck. The tram system was replaced by an electric trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
system in 1926. The first trolleybuses ran in Ipswich in 1923 between Cornhill to Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
. By 1940, 41 double deck vehicles were in use and a further 25 vehicles delivered between 1948 and 1950. The last trolleybus ran in 1963.
Ipswich Airport
Ipswich Airport
Ipswich Airport is a former airfield on the outskirts of Ipswich, Suffolk England.-History:The site of Ravens Wood was purchased by the Ipswich Corporation in 1929 with the intention of creating a municipal airport for Ipswich, with construction starting in the following year. The airport was...
opened in 1930 and offered regular flights to Clacton, Southend and Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
and later to the Netherlands and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. All speed limits for cars were abolished the same year by the Road Traffic Act 1930
Road Traffic Act 1930
The Road Traffic Act 1930 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced by the then Minister of Transport Herbert Morrison following the 1929 election which resulted in a hung parliament in which the Labour party won the most seats for the first time and Ramsay MacDonald became...
only to have a 30 mph urban speed re-introduced by the Road Traffic Act 1934
Road Traffic Act 1934
The Road Traffic Act 1934 was Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced by the then Minister of Transport Hore-Belisha after the 1931 general election which was won by the Conservative Party by an absolute majority of the votes cast...
. The first motorbuses operated in 1950, by 1960 a further 51 motorbuses had been purchased and by 1963 when the trolley bus system services ended there was a fleet of 62 motorbuses. In 1959 the Beccles to Great Yarmouth section of the East Suffolk Line was closed and the whole line from Ipswich was threatened with closure as part of the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
in the early 1960s.
In 1962 the government appointed consultants to consider the feasibility of expanding Ipswich, Peterborough and Worcester to meet the growing demand from housing from London and Birmingham. In February 1965 Richard Crossman
Richard Crossman
Richard Howard Stafford Crossman OBE was a British author and Labour Party politician who was a Cabinet Minister under Harold Wilson, and was the editor of the New Statesman. A prominent socialist intellectual, he became one of the Labour Party's leading Zionists and anti-communists...
, the minister of Ministry of Housing and Local Government
Ministry of Housing and Local Government
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government was a United Kingdom government department formed after the Second World War, covering the areas of housing and local government....
confirmed the go-ahead for Ipswich, Peterborough and Northampton as new Towns using the New Towns Act 1965. A report, Expanding Ipswich published in September 1965 by the consultants, suggested that the population would grow from 120,000 to 250,000 by 1985. Ipswich was rejected at public inquiry in 1969.
Construction of Civic Drive (an urban dual-carriageway), Franciscan Way and associated roundabouts started in 1963 and the new roads opened in 1966. The Spiral Car Park was completed early in 1967.
During the 1980s new sections of the A14 and A12 were built around the west, south and east of the town. The 'Star Lane gyratory' was also constructed and the London road route into town from Copdock and Wherstead Road route were widened.
| Title | Road | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bourne Hill Link Road | A137 | 1982 | A new section of road to the east of Bourne Hill from junction 56 of the A14 |
| Ipswich Bypass - A14 Felixstowe & A12 South | A14 (was A45) | 1982 | Section of A14 from junction 58 (with A12) to Felixstowe? |
| Ipswich Southern Bypass | A14 (was A45) | 1982 | Probably what is now the A14 between junctions 55 and 58 |
| Orwell Bridge Orwell Bridge The Orwell Bridge was opened to road traffic in 1982 and carries the A14 over the River Orwell just south of Ipswich in Suffolk, England.... |
A14 (was A45) | 1982 | Opened at the same time as the 'Ipswich Southern Bypass' |
| Stoke Bridge | A137 | 1983 | An second bridge over the Orwell by the dock (one for each direction now) |
| Ostrich Creek Bridge | A137 | 1983 | another parallel bridge near the marina by Bourne Park |
| Star Lane Extension | A1022 | 1984 | Extension of Star Lane (a very minor street) from its original eastern end at Pleasant Row to the junction with Waterworks Street. |
| Eastern Bypass | A12 | 1984 | From A14 junction 58 to Martlesham |
| Eastern Gyratories | A1156 | 1984 | Possibly work to Bond St, Grimwade St? |
| Copdock - Washbrook Bypass | A12 | 1984 | New section of A12 from Capel St Mary to A14 junction 56. |
| Ipswich Western Bypass | A14 (was A45) | 1985 | A14 from junction 53 (Bury Road/ASDA) to Junction 55 (Copdock roundabout) |
| Martlesham Bypass | A14 (was A45) | 1987 | section of the A12 to the north of Martlesham |
In 1984 the East Suffolk Line was reduced to single-track in places making it impossible to run an hourly service from Ipswich in the direction of Lowestoft. There are now plans to dual an additional section of the line to allow an hourly service. In 1986, following Bus deregulation in Great Britain the bus operation was transfer to a new private company, Ipswich Buses
Ipswich Buses
Ipswich Buses Ltd is a bus company that operates in Ipswich, Suffolk, UK and has been doing so for over 100 years. Its depot is situated in Constantine Road, near Ipswich Town's football ground...
.
In 1989 the conservative government published the Roads for Prosperity
Roads for Prosperity
Roads for Prosperity was a controversial white paper published by the Conservative UK Government in 1989 detailing the 'largest road building program for the UK since the Romans' produced in response to rapid increases in car ownership and use over the previous decade...
white paper which was heralded as the 'largest road building program for the UK since the Romans' which would have resulted in the A12 being widened to dual 3 lane between Ipswich and London and to dual 2 lane as far as Lowestoft; the A140 to Norwich would have been widened to dual 2 lane. Plans were greatly scaled back after major road protests at Newbury bypass
Newbury bypass
The Newbury bypass, officially known as The Winchester-Preston Trunk Road , is a stretch of dual carriageway road which bypasses the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England...
and Twyford Down
Twyford Down
Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a...
and other locations.
The final section of the A14 road between Ipswich and the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
was opened in 1991. Ipswich Airport
Ipswich Airport
Ipswich Airport is a former airfield on the outskirts of Ipswich, Suffolk England.-History:The site of Ravens Wood was purchased by the Ipswich Corporation in 1929 with the intention of creating a municipal airport for Ipswich, with construction starting in the following year. The airport was...
was de-licensed in 1996 and the area was re-developed into the residential district of Ravenswood
Ravenswood, Ipswich
Ravenswood is a district within Ipswich, Suffolk, UK. It is sited on the old Ipswich Airport to the south-east of the town.The area is one experiencing rapid growth in housing numbers from private housing developers...
with the front of the Grade 2 listed control building, designed by Heining and Chitty in 1938, integrated into new scheme.
Crown Street car park with 1000 bays was closed in November 2009 due to long standing structural problems with the concrete after a routine inspection and is now expected to be demolished.
Transport museum
Ipswich Transport MuseumIpswich Transport Museum
The Ipswich Transport Museum is a museum in Ipswich, Suffolk, England devoted principally to the history of road vehicles as represented by those used or built in its local area....
is a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
devoted principally to the history of road vehicles as represented by those used or built in its local area. Its collection of more than 85 vehicles includes tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s and trolley- and motor-bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es from Ipswich Corporation Transport
Ipswich Corporation
The Ipswich Corporation was a municipal corporation that owned property and government to town. The corporation kept highly details accounts of their operation, a great deal of which survives to this day...
, the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company
First East Anglia
First in Suffolk & Norfolk is a major bus operator in Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England and is part of FirstGroup...
and other local operators; commercial vehicle
Commercial vehicle
A commercial vehicle is a type of motor vehicle that may be used for transporting goods or passengers. The European Union defines "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorised road vehicle, which by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for...
s; fire apparatus
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
; mobile cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
; bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s; bier
Bier
A bier is a stand on which a corpse, coffin or casket containing a corpse, is placed to lie in state or to be carried to the grave.In Christian burial, the bier is often placed in the centre of the nave with candles surrounding it, and remains in place during the funeral.The bier is a flat frame,...
s; horse-drawn vehicle
Horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
s; prams
Baby transport
Baby transport consists of devices for transporting and carrying infants. A "child carrier" or "baby carrier" is a device used to carry an infant or small child on the body of an adult...
; and wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
s. There is a good representation of the Ipswich manufacturers Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies
Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries was a major British agricultural machinery maker producing a wide range of products including traction engines, ploughs, lawn mowers, combine harvesters and other tilling equipment. They also manufactured aeroplanes during the First World War...
and Ransomes & Rapier and of electric vehicle
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
s.
Further reading
- Promotion, speculation and their outcome: The “steamship mania” of 1824-1825 References to the Ipswich Steam Navigation Company
- Division and cohesion in the nineteenth-century middle class: the case of Ipswich, 1830–1870 Further mentions of the Ipswich Steam Navigation Company
- Cost Benefit analysis for urban expansion - Ipswich (paid content)
- 1:25K mapping 1st edition 1955
- New Popular edition 1 inch to 1 mile 1940s