A47 road
Proposed improvements
Proposed improvements
---------------------

### Acle Straight (New Road)

A study on the A47 which concluded in 2001 looked at improving New Road, i.e. the section of the A47 between Acle and Great Yarmouth known as the Acle Straight.
 The improvement of the Acle Straight has become a point of contention between interested parties due to its passage through [the Norfolk Broads](/wiki/The_Broads "The Broads"), an area of important ecological and conservation significance that limits development. The study which recommended widening rather than dualling of the Acle Straight was opposed by the [Broadland District Council](/wiki/Broadland_District_Council "Broadland District Council"), [Great Yarmouth Borough Council](/wiki/Great_Yarmouth_Borough_Council "Great Yarmouth Borough Council"), [Norfolk Police Authority](/wiki/Norfolk_Constabulary "Norfolk Constabulary") and the majority of local respondents who believed that dualling of the road is necessary to improve road safety, decrease journey time and support the economic development of Great Yarmouth. Dualling was however strongly opposed by the [Environment Agency](/wiki/Environment_Agency "Environment Agency"), the [Council for National Parks (CNP)](/wiki/Council_for_National_Parks "Council for National Parks") and the [Broads Authority](/wiki/Broads_Authority "Broads Authority") due to its impact on biodiversity and internationally important wildlife sites. These parties did cautiously support further investigation into the option for widening following further investigation of its environmental impact. 

### Acle Straight safety improvement scheme

In 2006 a programme of safety improvement for the Acle Straight were announced. This would include road resurfacing, better road markings, improved visibility and the installation of safety cameras at an estimated total cost of £1\.6 million. The result would then be monitored while long\-term improvements, such as widening, are considered. In October 2009 after it was announced that a £40,000 feasibility study, to see whether roadside ditches along the nine\-mile stretch could be moved further back without disturbing delicate marshland habitat had been delayed until autumn 2010 at the earliest.

### Norwich Northern Distributor Road

A£117 million road scheme to the north of [Norwich](/wiki/Norwich "Norwich"), linking the [A1067](/wiki/A1067_road "A1067 road") and [Norwich International Airport](/wiki/Norwich_International_Airport "Norwich International Airport") to the A47, sponsored and managed by [Norfolk County Council](/wiki/Norfolk_County_Council "Norfolk County Council"). It was priority scheme for Norfolk County Council and it attracted strong opposition both locally and from environmental groups. On 2 June 2015 the scheme was given the go ahead, in 2017 parts of the road were opened with the complete road opened in early 2018\.

### Norwich Western Link

In 2007 Norfolk County Council started developing a proposal for a link road between the A47 and [A1067](/wiki/A1067_road "A1067 road") in the area between [Hockering](/wiki/Hockering "Hockering") and [Lenwade](/wiki/Lenwade "Lenwade").
 Five different route options were considered which ranged from 1\.5 km to 3\.4 km of new road construction and an estimated construction cost of between £5\.8 million – £9\.1 million.
 Public consultation on the proposal was held between July and September 2007 with the most support given to Option 1 with positive responses from residents, businesses and Parish and District Councils. Although costing more than £5 million the scheme did not meet any of the targets of the [Local Transport Plan](/wiki/Local_Transport_Plan "Local Transport Plan") and so did not qualify for regional funding. Funding for the scheme would therefore have to be found by the County Council.
 The scheme was not progressed.

In April 2017 however Norfolk County Council voted to make the [Norwich Western Link](/wiki/Norwich_Western_Link "Norwich Western Link") one of its three top highway priorities. The scheme would connect the A47 at [Easton](/wiki/Easton%2C_Norfolk "Easton, Norfolk") with the A1067 at [Attlebridge](/wiki/Attlebridge "Attlebridge") at the end of the Norwich Northern Distributor Road and consultants have been brought in to progress the scheme.

### North Tuddenham\-Easton and Blofield\-North Burlingham dualling

The two stretches of dual carriageway west and east of Norwich respectively are planned to be dualled by 2027\. Although a [Development Consent Order](/wiki/Development_Consent_Order "Development Consent Order") (DCO) was granted in 2022, both schemes were subject to legal challenge which have since been dismissed. This caused the overall scheme to be delayed by 20 months. Work began on the [North Tuddenham](/wiki/North_Tuddenham "North Tuddenham") to [Easton](/wiki/Easton%2C_Norfolk "Easton, Norfolk") leg in 19 August 2024 and is due to be finished in 2027\. The speed limit has also been cut to 30 mph (48 km/h).

### Other proposed improvements

In 2012 Norfolk County Council launched the strategic route prospectus which detailed improvement schemes along the A47 between Peterborough and King's Lynn. The list of improvements, costing a total £526 million, included dualling sections of the road and other junction improvements. The sections of the road to be dualled were the Acle straight, Blofield to [Burlingham](/wiki/Lingwood_and_Burlingham "Lingwood and Burlingham"), North Tuddenham to Easton and the [East Winch](/wiki/East_Winch "East Winch")/Middleton bypass. Other improvements detailed were four schemes at Great Yarmouth, including a £112 million third river crossing, four junction improvements along the Norwich Southern Bypass and improvements to the three junctions at King's Lynn.

On 8 October 2012 it was the announced that improvements to the A1/A47 junction at Wansford and the roundabout at Honingham would be approved for pinch point funding. On 1 December 2014 it was announced that a package of improvements to the A47 worth a total of £300 million would be funded during the 2015\-20 parliament. Shadow chancellor [Ed Balls](/wiki/Ed_Balls "Ed Balls") said that the proposed improvements would be honoured by any incoming Labour government. The proposed improvements consisted of 
* dualling the section between Blofield and North Burlingham
* dualling the section between Easton and Tuddenham
* dualling the section between Wansford and Sutton
* improvements to the A47/[A141](/wiki/A141 "A141") junction at Guyhirn
* improvements to the A47/[A11](/wiki/A11_road_%28England%29 "A11 road (England)") Thickthorn junction
* safety improvements to the Acle Straight
* improvements to the A47/[A149](/wiki/A149 "A149") junction at Great Yarmouth


How much will the safety improvements cost?