Cllr. Graham Plant, NCC, emailed an update about the Norwich Western Link project (to connect the A47 west of the city to Broadland Northway, and create a dual carriageway orbital route around Norwich).
The team are finalising the planning application and will submit it in the next few weeks. The planning authority will publish the documents online and run a statutory public consultation. A commitment by central government has been secured to fund the majority of the cost of the Norwich Western Link when ministers approved the Outline Business Case – more than £200 million of national investment for Norfolk.
With population and employment growth expected in the county, it’s vital to continue to invest in the transport networks infrastructure to be fit for the future. This is about planning ahead, being ambitious for Norfolk and making people’s lives better.
Cllr Graham Plant, Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure
Norfolk County Council
Just received the e-bulletin for the A11 Spooner Row to Tuttles reconstruction scheme.
Upcoming work – 20 January 2024
Advanced notification of A11 Wymondham Bypass Overnight Closures
Resurfacing a section of Spinks Lane, now that the site compound has been removed, and reinstated the land to fields. This surfacing is taking place to reinstate a smooth road surface following increased usage while we worked to reconstruct the A11.
Temporary closure of the Tuttles Interchange southbound exit and entry slip roads overnight between 8pm and 6am on 24 February 2024 and 25 February 2024.
Traffic exiting the A11 via the Tuttles Interchange southbound exit slip road will need to continue southbound on the A11 until you reach the Browick Road southbound exit slip road. Turn right onto Browick Road, and at the third roundabout turn left onto Ayton Road. At the end of Ayton Road turn right onto Station Road, and then turn right onto the B1172. Follow the B1172 northbound to continue your journey.
Traffic joining the A11 southbound carriageway will need to travel southbound on the B1172 until Station Road. Turn right onto Station Road before turning left onto Ayton Road. At the roundabout take the third exit and continue until you reach the A11 Browick Road southbound entry slip road.
Please note that all closures are subject to change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions.
Road users can also keep up to date on road closures by visiting our Traffic England website at www.trafficengland.com or by following our X feed: @HighwaysEAST
Get in touch
If you have any questions about this work, call the 24/7 Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000, or by email to info@nationalhighways.co.uk. Additional details on the scheme webpage at www.nationalhighways.co.uk/A11concrete
Andy Jobling
Programme Delivery Manager
We received the following email from Cllr Graham Plant, NCC:
“Following on from the great news in mid-October that we have received a funding commitment of more than £200 million from the Government for the Norwich Western Link, we’re getting this important infrastructure project moving forward again.
“We’ve published a cabinet report this afternoon with an update on the project and the proposed next steps, which include submitting the planning application early next year. While a lot of work had already been done on the planning application documents over several months, the project team are currently reviewing and updating these now that we have more certainty over the timing of their submission and the subsequent timings for the project.
“The cabinet report sets out what we will need to include in the planning application. These documents will be published in full after we have submitted them to the planning authority, which in this instance is Norfolk County Council, but this is an entirely separate part of the authority to the project team. The planning authority will then run their own statutory public consultation on the planning application, so everyone will have the opportunity to view and comment on the proposals at that stage.
“Once the planning application is finalised and submitted, the project team would then make and publish a Compulsory Purchase Order, for land required for the project, and a Side Roads Order, which would authorise the County Council as the highways authority to make alterations to roads and highways, including public rights of way. The cabinet report published today also gives details on these processes, and includes maps showing the land we will require for the project – whether on a temporary or permanent basis – and the existing roads that will need to be altered in some way.
“Due to the delay in receiving the funding commitment from central government, and also as a result of factoring in information that has been confirmed as the project has developed, the anticipated timetable for the project has been pushed back. It is now expected that initial works will start in late 2025, with the start of main construction works in summer 2026 and the road open for use in 2029.
“For the same reasons, the budget for the project has been revised to £273.9 million, an increase of £22.8 million from the previous budget agreed in July 2022. However, the Department for Transport have indicated that they could provide funding of up to 100 per cent of the costs set out at Outline Business Case stage, which stood at £251.1 million. If the government provided £251.1 million of funding, the local contribution required towards the overall cost of the project would be less than previously anticipated even with the overall budget increase.
“I know delays and cost increases are frustrating and I know many people want to see this road built now, to tackle the traffic problems that exist to the west of Norwich and so that the wide range of benefits it will provide can be achieved at the earliest opportunity. It’s the responsible thing to do to keep project budgets and timetables under review and to adjust them as more information is known, and to respond to wider influences. And it’s important to do this in order to put ourselves in a strong position to get this road built, and built in the right way.
“I hope this provides information that is helpful but, if you want to, you can also read the cabinet report on our website here – the link in full is also included beneath my signature. With government backing secured and the planning application documents in the process of being finalised, we are making good progress and getting closer to making the Norwich Western Link a reality.
“The cabinet report will be considered by me and my cabinet colleagues at a meeting on Monday 4 December, and I’ll email you again that day to make you aware of the outcome of the meeting and the next steps from there.”
Cllr Graham Plant
Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure
Norfolk County Council
https://norfolkcc.cmis.uk.com/norfolkcc/CalendarofMeetings/tabid/128/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/496/Meeting/2055/Committee/169/Default.aspx
Norfolk Highways have advised that there will be Rolling Road closures between Mulbarton to Carlton Rode. This is to undertake road surface repairs along the B1113. (You may have noticed many white paint markings outlining repair sites on this road.) These are planned for overnight from 7pm to 6am. Diversions will be sign posted. See documents below for details.
NCC Highway Rangers will be visiting Wreningham parish over the coming weeks. They use local knowledge to identify defects that may develop in between their routine inspections.
Their priorities are the essential elements of safety on the Highway Network and associated paths.
If you are aware of any issues with the following, please let our Clerk know by 12 July:
Parish Clerk – Mrs Tina Higlett
Crofton House, Norwich Road, Long Stratton, Norwich NR15 2PG
Tel: 01508 530733
E-mail: clerk.wpc@gmail.com
- Potholes – provide an accurate location, the dimensions width, length, depth), the position on the Highway (i.e. centre, wheel track, side).
- Regular incidents of standing or flooding water – additional inspection of gullies and grips at these sites – Location and area affected. Whether any features may be blocked (i.e. gullies/grips). State whether the water eventually clears over time and if it only occurs during heavy rain. (Recent heavy rain fall may cause issues out of their control. They can clear gulley pots and grips but only within the highway boundary).
- Signs – ensuring visibility and good condition of Highway signs, removal of illegal signs
- Paths – need for siding out and ensuring a safe surface for the user
- Public Rights of Way – needing clear access within the village
Please note the following on ditches, hedges and utilities:
- Ditches – In almost all cases ditches are the responsibility of the adjacent landowner. First inform the Parish Council which will contact the landowner directly. If the landowner refuses to act on the Parish request we will then pursue this on your behalf (provided we have contact details of the landowner).
- Hedges – Almost always the responsibility of the adjacent landowner. It is always best if the Parish Council contacts the landowner directly. If the landowner refuses to act on the Parish request we will then pursue this on your behalf (provided we have contact details of the landowner).
- Anglia Water and BT – Both of these companies respond quickest to online reports, and their preference is for this to be done by locals with knowledge of the location and area. Essentially: if their covers are leaking, loose or broken they are fixed by the utility company – we would fix potholes around the covers as long as they are not loose. Anglia Water reports can be called through on 0800 771881 and BT defects can be called through on 0800 023 2023 (option 1).
Normal service
- They still respond to enquiries regarding highway maintenance and public safety risk, using the reporting system (www.norfolk.gov.uk/highwaysproblem) and signing into your ‘My Norfolk’ Parish account.
- Highway teams will continue to carry out routine and reactive inspections and programme repairs as necessary.
- Resources and access to materials may affect their ability to respond to some lower priority defects.
For further information contact Hannah Denney, Area Technician
Highways, Transport & Waste
Tel: 0344 800 8020
Ketteringham Highways Depot – Station Lane, Ketteringham, Norfolk, NR9 3AZ
Reference: 2022/2224
Applicant: Mr Ben Jarvis
Location: The Old Chapel Norwich Road Wreningham Norfolk NR16 1AF
Proposal: Single storey utility room
Application Type: Householder
Please send comments, quoting the reference, by 15 December 2022 to SNC:
email: planning.snc@southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk
online: www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk
post: Thorpe Lodge, 1 Yarmouth Road, Norwich NR7 0DU
Latest newsletter – 4 November
Latest newsletter – 17 October 2022
National Highways bulletin answers some of the questions we have received. See here:
We have received a newsletter about the work on the A11 and associated road closures. please see
NCC proposes to make a Temporary Traffic Order affecting the U76222 Top Row from its junction with B1113 Norwich Road for 227m south-eastwards because of Anglian Water pipe repair works.
The road will be temporarily closed (except for access) from 15th to 17th August 2022 for the duration of the works expected to be about 3 days within the period.
For NCC document with map see here
I reported the very poor condition of High Road, Top Row. The road surface is disintegrating along a 10+ metre stretch and is becoming a danger to road users. Also, a corner at Mill Lane/B1113 is degrading into a series of potholes that are joining up.
NCC Highways have responded to these reports: “We have inspected and are going to resolve the problem – After investigation we have confirmed action is required. Defects are scheduled for repair depending on the nature of the defect and work needed but on average can take approximately 6 weeks.”
South Norfolk have received my report of fly-tipping – a concrete fencing post and a mattress – on Wymondham Road (not far from the turkey sheds). This report was made via their flytipping page. Their reply was that they’d remove the items in due course.