Government bows to pressure over A11

19 November 2008

The Government has bowed to ‘months of concerted pressure’ by bringing forward the dualling of the A11 in East Anglia to 2010.

Following discussions with local MPs, councils and the East of England Regional Assembly, transport secretary Geoff Hoon announced that improvement work to the A11 between Fiveways and Thetford is to be brought forward from 2012/13, subject to the outcome of the statutory process. This would enable the scheme to open to traffic in early 2013, 18 months ahead of the previous timetable.

Some 16,000 people signed a petition calling for the road to be dualled, after the scheme was identified as a top regional priority in July.

Daniel Cox, leader of Norfolk County Council, said: ‘This victory could not have been achieved without the tremendous backing the campaign has received from the public in Norfolk, Suffolk and further afield.

‘Achieving a 2010 start date was always and ambitious target, but I am highly ambitious for Norfolk – and thrilled to have hit the target in such style.’

Hoon said that bringing the scheme forward would provide better value for money, costing around £8M less than it would to start in 2012/13. The current cost is estimated at £127M.

Roger Hawkins, project manager for the Highways Agency, said: ‘Completing the dualling between the M11 and Norwich will significantly contribute to improving journey time reliability and ease congestion.

‘The scheme includes a bypass that will take traffic away from Elveden, bringing substantial benefits to the village which has conservation area status.’

A recent study by Atkins Transport Planning concluded that the scheme could bring economic benefits to Norfolk worth almost £800M, comprising £558M from time savings for road users, £98M from reduced accidents and £135M from wider economic benefits (Surveyor, 31 January 2008).

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