National Grid is advising motorists that a major 170-tonne supergrid electricity transformer will be taking to Suffolk's roads this Saturday (October 1).

The electricity transformer will be leaving Lowestoft docks between 8am and 9am on Saturday, before heading to a new electricity substation at Leiston via the A12.

The size of a small bungalow, the heavy load will be flanked by police outriders and transported on a 20-axle trailer by a specialist haulage team. The heavy load will have a maximum speed of 12mph and the 26-mile journey could take up to six hours to complete.

Motorists are being urged to bear this in mind when planning journeys in the area on Saturday, as the journey planned for the weekend to avoid weekday traffic.

The transformer will be installed at a new National Grid electricity substation near Leiston. It will help take renewable, green electricity generated by the new Galloper offshore wind farm to thousands of homes and businesses.

National Grid and its partners in the move, heavy-load specialists Collet and Sons Ltd, have co-ordinated the huge task with military precision to keep traffic disruption and public inconvenience to a minimum.

National Grid project manager Jim Lewis said: 'We are sorry for any delays and disruption the delivery might cause but it is essential that the journey is trouble free.

'The transformer is a vital piece of equipment that will allow electricity generated by the new Galloper offshore wind farm to reach homes and business.'

The transformer will leave South Quay, Lowestoft between 8am and 9am and join the A12 southbound, continuing on the A12 for 19.2 miles. It will turn left on to B1122 and continue for 4.7 miles before turning left into Lovers Lane for 2.1 miles before arriving at its destination.