Gas bosses insist that roadworks on a busy stretch of the A12 in Suffolk will be finished soon - even though no work has taken place there for more than a week.

Hundreds of metres of bollards have been put up on the A12 Grove Road near the Dobbies roundabout after Cadent - the gas infrastructure arm of the National Grid - moved in to repair a broken gas main.

But despite the bollards closing off one lane of the dual carriageway road, drivers have not seen anyone working there since the start of the month.


East Anglian Daily Times: Edward Wild said he had seen no one working on the A12 at Woodbridge.Edward Wild said he had seen no one working on the A12 at Woodbridge. (Image: Edward Wild)

Suffolk-based businessman Edward Wild became aware of the roadworks just over a week ago when his daughter returned to school and he had to drive her from their home in east Suffolk.

He said: "There are bollards all along the road from about half way between the Melton and the Dobbies roundabouts. They slow down all the traffic and you get quite long queues build up. It generally keeps moving, albeit very slowly, but it is a bit irritating.

"What is very annoying is that you never actually see anyone at the site of the Cadent works. We've been going along there more than a week now and I haven't see anyone working there at all.

"There's a digger sitting beside the roundabout, and that hasn't moved since the schools went back"


East Anglian Daily Times: Edward Wild said this digger had not moved for more than a week.Edward Wild said this digger had not moved for more than a week. (Image: Edward Wild)

A spokeswoman for Cadent said the company was waiting for a specialist team to arrive at the scene on Thursday and one side of the road should be finished by the end of the week.

There is a second piece of work on the other side of the road and they hoped to know when that would be completed within the next few days. The works are all scheduled to be completed by Friday - but exact timing of the second piece of work still had to be agreed.

She said: “We are currently carrying out emergency works on the A12. We know that the traffic restrictions are causing disruption, but hope people understand it’s essential work and is needed to keep the local area and its residents safe. We really appreciate everyone’s patience.”