Norfolk Chamber welcomed the reports in the local press that the next priority for Norfolk County Council is to secure the dualling of the Acle Straight, as outlined in their Annual Review for 2014-2015.
Norfolk has historically lagged behind in terms of infrastructure and Norfolk Chamber and our members, from start ups to our large scale members have been lobbying the Government and Highways Agency hard for improvements to the A47. In December 2014, funding was announced in the Autumn Statement to deliver improvements along the A47, including safety improvements along the Acle Straight.
Improvements announced in last year’s Autumn Statement:
- A47 North Tuddenham to Easton: dualling to provide continuous dual carriageway between Norwich and Dereham; combined with the Blofield to North Burlingham scheme, this will provide full dualling between Dereham and Acle.
- A47 Blofield to North Burlingham: dualling to complete a gap in the dual carriageway between Norwich and Acle; combined with the North Tuddenham to Easton scheme this will provide full dualling between Dereham and Acle.
- A47/A12 Great Yarmouth: junction improvements, including reconstruction of the Vauxhall roundabout.
- Safety improvements at key hotspots and joint working with Natural England to establish environmental impacts and mitigation measures for the medium and long term which could include installation of safety barriers, junction improvements and road widening or capacity improvements.
- A47/A11 Thickthorn junction: improvement of the interchange to give improved access to Norwich.
However to make this notorious stretch of road between Acle and Great Yarmouth truly safe, requires the total dualling of this road. Norfolk Chamber will continue to lobby for road improvements along the Acle Straight and will work in partnership with Norfolk County Council to support the delivery of this goal.
Andy Penman, President of Great Yarmouth Chamber Council said:
“The “Acle Straight” has been a motorist “accident hot spot” for many years and is well overdue for an upgrade from single to dual carriage-way, so this is excellent news for one and all that travels this route on a daily basis.”
