Three level crossings on the East Suffolk Line in Woodbridge are to be upgraded over the next six months to cope with more road traffic heading to new developments near the town’s quayside.

The Hayward, Ferry Quay, and Jetty Lane crossings on either side of Woodbridge station will be upgraded between October 6 and December 23. It will restart in the new year and should finish in early April.

The work will take place overnight so train services should not be affected and there should be minimal disruption.

Network Rail said the crossings had been used more heavily in recent years following development of the local area and some of the equipment is old and needs replacing. The new equipment will automatically detect obstructions, for example a pedestrian or a car, bringing the crossings in line with more modern safety standards. The alarms can also be shortened from 70 seconds to 20 seconds for each train passage. The line will be closed for some of the work in 2021 and further information will be available nearer the time.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail’s route director for Anglia, said: “Our main priority is to keep our railway running safely for everyone and as communities grow upgrades like this are essential in doing just that. It’s safer for our engineers to work when trains aren’t running, which is why much of the work will be carried out overnight, and we have plans and methods in place to minimise noise levels.”