Norfolk County Council today (Fri) announced immediate changes to its Postwick works programme to reduce peak-hour pressure on the local road network.
There were significant delays at the Peachman Way/Broadland Way roundabout this morning (Friday 16 October). Norfolk County Council apologises to all those whose journeys were disrupted.
The opening of the new slip road this morning sent traffic around the Postwick Hub access roads. However, the balance of traffic flows at the Peachman Way roundabout was worse than expected and the County Council is therefore taking the following steps:
• Putting traffic control on the Peachman Way/Broadland Way roundabout for the morning as well as the evening peak. This will be manually controlled to be as responsive as possible to traffic build-up.
• Putting signs up at the Plumstead Road/Green Lane junction to warn of potential delays at the Peachman Way/Broadland Way roundabout.
• Changing the planned works programme to now keep the old bridge open during peak hours.
The old bridge had been scheduled for a full closure for up to eight weeks for essential maintenance and upgrading. It will now remain open for use even when the new bridge is open tomorrow morning, (Sat 17 Oct). Keeping the old bridge open will allow traffic from the Great Yarmouth direction to avoid the Postwick Hub access roads and will help to relieve any additional pressure on the Peachman Way roundabout at peak times.
Having both bridges open will also give greater flexibility within the junction, and Norfolk County Council will continue to monitor traffic flows and take further steps to reduce delays if necessary. The maintenance and upgrading work on the old bridge will be carried out under more limited traffic management with off-peak lane closures. Any fullclosures – for resurfacing for example – will take place overnight.
The A47 will be closed at Postwick again tonight (Friday), but the diversion routes will be short, using the junction slip roads.
