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The A11 corridor is a major focus of growth, with the route providing key strategic access to London, Cambridge and much of the rest of the UK via the M11 and A14. Dualling was completed in 2014 and the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor initiative aims to take advantage of this to boost economic development.
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The main east-west road link is the A47. It connects the area to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft to the east. Both are coastal resorts and industrial towns with significant regeneration needs. The development of Eastport at Great Yarmouth provides access for offshore industries. To the west the A47 provides access to the Midlands, the North and to growth areas locally at Dereham and King’s Lynn.
Map 2 Greater Norwich main transport links
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Full dualling of the A47 route is promoted through the A47 Alliance, which brings together the business community, local authorities, MPs and stakeholders along the whole of the trunk road route between Peterborough and Lowestoft. The Government’s Roads Investment Strategy is committed to A47 improvements within the Greater Norwich area with Blofield to North Burlingham dualling, Thickthorn A11/A47 junction improvements, and Easton to East Tuddenham dualling. These will all progress through the NSIP process and are all scheduled to start construction in 2022/23.
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Greater Norwich also includes two routes which form part of the Government’s Major Road Network (MRN) - local non-trunk roads of national importance. Within the Greater Norwich area, this includes the A140 both north and south of Norwich (including the A1270 Broadland Northway, also known as the Norwich Northern Distributor Road) and the A146 connecting Norwich to Lowestoft. Working with Transport East, the sub-national transport body, the Long Stratton bypass has been identified as a regional MRN priority and given conditional approval for Government funding
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To the south, the A140 provides access to Ipswich and London and to Bury St. Edmunds and Cambridge from the south of the area. It also provides local links to Diss and Harleston and is almost entirely single carriageway. To ease congestion through Long Stratton, a bypass is planned to be delivered alongside 1,800 new homes. Subject to full approval by Government, construction of the Long Stratton bypass could commence in 2022.
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The A1270 Broadland Northway was opened in 2018. It has reduced congestion through the north of Norwich and improved access to the airport, coast and Broads. Related improvements to public transport in Norwich are an integral part of the scheme.
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A preferred route for a dual carriageway “Western Link” between the A1270 and the A47 was confirmed in July 2019. The Department for Transport (DfT) approved the Strategic Outline Business Case in May 2020 giving the project conditional entry into its ‘Large Local Majors’ funding programme and awarding more than £1 million of development funding for the project in the 2020/21 financial year.