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Lynn News readers have their say on possible West Norfolk road improvements after Government announces funding for East of England




Hundreds of millions of pounds are set to come to the east of England to improve our roads – but which West Norfolk highways are most in need of a revamp?

Last week, the Government’s Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced that £609million of redirected HS2 funding will be used to resurface roads in the region.

Highways authorities – in our case, Norfolk County Council – will receive a share of this funding, and can then identify travel routes they believe are “most need of repair”.

Improving the A47 was suggested by some residents
Improving the A47 was suggested by some residents

They will receive £19.4million this financial year, followed by a further £19.4million for 2024/2025 – with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.

With this in mind, we asked our readers which of our roads they think are in most dramatic need of an overhaul – and the answers were wide-ranging.

Louise Carlyle and Shirley Rowley both suggested improving the A10 between Lynn and Littleport, which also passes the likes of Watlington, Setchey and Downham.

The A17 at Terrington St Clement, heading into Lynn, should be resurfaced according to some Lynn News readers
The A17 at Terrington St Clement, heading into Lynn, should be resurfaced according to some Lynn News readers

Adrian Hurst argued that the A17 heading into Lynn is “awful”, while Adam Moody also believes this road is in need of resurfacing.

Gill Wright wants to see the back roads heading to the coast given a makeover, as well as those heading to Fakenham, while two residents – Brenda Clark and Faye Reeve – mentioned Lady Drove at Barroway Drove, near Downham.

Ms Reeve does not think this particular road is adequate to take the weight of HGVs which regularly pass over it, while Ms Clark described it as a “nightmare”.

Some weren’t as specific – Elaina Wiksten said: “Easier to say which ones don’t at this point.”

Lady Drove at Barroway Drove was suggested by some of our readers. Picture: Google Maps
Lady Drove at Barroway Drove was suggested by some of our readers. Picture: Google Maps

Nick Fitzgerald, meanwhile, said: “All of them, and most of the car parks too.”

However, Julia Paul argued: “Norfolk’s roads are in better nick than in other counties. You feel the difference as soon as you cross the borders.”

And Jayne Thrower described the roads around Sandringham as “brilliant”.

David Kennedy suggested that the funding could be used to dual the A47, which is a single-lane road for large portions between Lynn and Swaffham.

Which roads do you think the Government funding should be spent on? Let us know at newsdesk@lynnnews.co.uk

When the funding was announced, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “For too long politicians have shied away from taking the right long-term decisions to make life easier for hardworking families - tackling the scourge of potholes being a prime example.

“Well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each in expensive vehicle repairs, helping motorists keep more of the cash in their pocket.

“This unprecedented £8.3 billion investment will pave the road for better and safer journeys for millions of people across the country and put an end to the blight of nuisance potholes.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper added: “Most people travel by road and potholes can cause misery for motorists, from expensive vehicle repairs to bumpy, slow, and dangerous journeys.

“Our £609million boost to repair roads across the East of England shows that we’re on the side of drivers.

“Today’s biggest ever funding uplift for local road improvements is a victory for all road users, who will enjoy smoother, faster and safer trips - as we use redirected HS2 funding to make the right long-term decisions for a brighter future.”



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