A new, four-lane bridge close to the site of the existing Bascule bridge has been identified as the preferred option for a third crossing in Lowestoft, The Journal can reveal.

Suffolk County Council commissioned engineering consultants WSP to investigate three different proposals for a multi-million pound crossing over Lake Lothing to ease congestion in Lowestoft.

A report, published today, dismisses a western option at Brooke Business park and a central crossing near to Silo Quay, in favour of an eastern crossing to the west of the Bascule bridge.

WSP also considered proposals put forward by Lowestoft-born businessman Peter Colby for a combined crossing and tidal barrier based on Dutch polder dams near to the site of the central crossing at Silo Quay.

The publication of the report has been welcomeD by the leaders of Suffolk county and Waveney district councils, who have vowed to lobby the government for funding and push the project forward.

However, Mr Colby, who runs Sprowston-based Peter Colby Commercials, and Bob Blizzard, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Waveney, have criticised the recommendation of the eastern crossing, branding it nonsense. They have vowed to continue fighting for a central crossing, which they believe is the best solution for Lowestoft.

See this week's Journal for the full story.