Calls are growing for the government to prioritise dualling the A47, as the chance for members of the public to have their say on the roads in Norfolk opens up for this year.
Members of the public can let Highways England know how important dualling the A47 is by sharing their experiences of the road via the National Highways Route Strategies feedback tool, at: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/our-work/our-route-strategies/
The feedback is collected by National Highways, formerly Highways England and the body responsible for maintaining the A47.
Nova Fairbank, Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk Chambers of Commerce said
“It is vital for our county’s economic growth that we clearly demonstrate that Norfolk is ‘open for business’. The full dualling of the A47 is a ‘must have’ for Norfolk Chambers and the wider business community in order to deliver greater economic growth and jobs in this region.
“From tourism to logistics; energy and manufacturing; to research and agriculture; all sectors across our region rely heavily on the A47, as our main artery East to West and onwards to the Midlands. Improvements to this route are vital to help us to remain accessible and competitive.
“The passion and commitment of our business community to achieving a fully dualled A47 is clear and the economic benefits are evident – a fully dualled A47 is a necessity, not a want.”
Cllr Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said: “We know just how big dualling the A47 is for Norfolk, but now we need to work together to make sure the government know too: we use the road every day, and it’s time to get that real experience in front of ministers, via the Highways England feedback and online, to show everyone just how important this investment is and just what potential is waiting to be unlocked in Norfolk.”
The A47 trunk road is managed by National Highways on behalf of the Government and runs from just past Peterborough in the west and across the breadth of Norfolk to Lowestoft in the east.
Currently just 47 per cent of this major route is dual carriageway and while National Highways have committed to making improvements to the road, including dualling some stretches, this will still leave substantial sections of the A47 as single carriageway with no current plans to dual them.
A fully-dualled A47 would bring significant benefits to the counties and communities along its route. Shorter and more reliable journey times along the road and onwards to the Midlands would not only improve quality of life for many residents but also provide a huge boost to the regional economy by attracting new businesses, supporting existing businesses to grow and become more profitable, encouraging more visitors to the region and creating more jobs.
In order for Just Dual It! to stand a chance of achieving its goal of getting the A47 fully dualled as soon as possible, people are being encouraged to share their experiences of how the road is having a detrimental effect on their lives or businesses and show their support for the campaign, both via the National Highways feedback tool above and by sharing stories online with the hashtags #JustDualIt and #JustFundIt, to make clear to the government the need for dualling of the A47.
