A11 upgrade ‘would boost prosperity'

30 January 2008

Upgrading the A11 in Norfolk could bring economic benefits to the county worth almost £800M, according to a recent study.

The study, undertaken by Atkins Transport Planning and commissioned by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and Norfolk County Council, shows the scheme could generate an estimated £791M, comprising £558M from time savings for road users, £98M from reduced accidents and £135M of wider economic benefits.

The cost of the scheme is currently estimated at £101M. EEDA senior transport project manager, Andy Summers, said authorities can now go to the Government with proposals which would tackle traffic congestion, get the region moving and help businesses succeed.

‘The recent Eddington report on transport showed that strategic and prioritised investment in the transport infrastructure, particularly at key pinch-points, can help businesses,’ he said. ‘The single-carriageway section of the otherwise-dualled A11 is considered to be a bottleneck on the strategic network.’

Adrian Gunson, cabinet member for planning and transportation at Norfolk County Council, said many business people and councillors had been calling for the upgrade for 30 years. ‘Clearly, we shall be using this study to press for the urgent dualling of this stretch of road to create growth and prevent some of the human suffering caused through deaths and injuries on this remaining stretch of single carriageway,’ he said.

Atkins’ project manager, Jonathan Foster-Clark, said completion of the dual carriageway would play an important part in helping reduce the peripherality of Norfolk, and increase economic vitality in the county. ‘The draft guidance on wider economic benefits is an important tool to improve our understanding of how transport affects the economies of towns, cities and regions. ‘It shows how to better take into account the impacts of transport projects on labour markets and business supply chains.’

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A11 upgrade ‘would boost prosperity'

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