Weekend work on A47 at Necton set to start on November 25 as residents invited to meet team and ask questions

Motorists are being advised to plan their journeys and allow extra time as weekend work to improve two junctions on the A47 is set to start soon.

Three-way temporary traffic lights will be in place on the A47 at Necton for 48 hours from 6am on Saturday, November 25 until 6am on Monday, November 27, with congestion and delays expected in the area.

Ahead of the weekend, National Highways is holding a community event tomorrow at Necton Community Centre between 2pm and 6pm.

This will be an opportunity for people to meet the team carrying out the improvements and ask any questions or raise any issues.

The £2.2million project, which began at the end of September, will see the 'mouth' of junctions at Dunham Road and Tuns Road widened to improve visibility.

New road markings and improvements to drainage also form part of the project to increase safety and reduce traffic congestion at what has become a local bottleneck.

Work is expected to take around five months, with the improved junctions set to fully reopen to traffic from March next year.

To minimise disruption, the majority of work continues to take place on weeknights between the hours of 8pm to 6am, however occasional weekend work is necessary, with the first full weekend of work scheduled from Saturday, November 25.

During this time access to Necton will be maintained via Rudge Way, located next to Costa Coffee, as nearby Tuns Road will be closed between the A47 and St Andrews Lane, and there will also be no access or entry to the A47 from Dunham Road.

Alice Grandidge, National Highways’ project manager for the junction improvements, said that while National Highways are expecting congestion in the area during the weekend works, significant plans have been put in place to make people aware and ask them to plan their journeys and allow a little extra time.

“We have sent out thousands of letters to local residents and businesses. Signs are in place as far away as Norwich and King’s Lynn to advise of expected delays, and we will also have traffic contractors on site to adjust the phasing of the traffic lights to ensure traffic flow is maximised over the working weekend,” she said.

“Bus stops on the A47, near to Tuns Road, will also remain open throughout the weekend.”

National Highways has also announced that a planned lowering of the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph on the A47 at Necton will also form part of the safety improvements to the junction.

Documents have been submitted as part of a legal process that has to be followed before any change can be ratified, but National Highways is hoping that a new lower speed limit could be in place by next spring.

“We’re not building a new motorway or a bridge here – and while the scheme may be small by National Highways’ standards – we are big on ambition and innovation, and we have meticulously planned our work to deliver real long-term safety benefits while minimising disruption to those living close to our construction site,” Ms Grandidge added.

“We are using hydrogen-powered temporary lighting and solar-powered worker facilities – these help to reduce noise that would otherwise come from generators.

"A no idling policy is also in place for all our work vehicles, and we have noise monitors to ensure we keep things as quiet as possible."

In another bid not to inconvenience those living and working in the area, National Highways has also coordinated its work with other providers so that utility companies can carry out their projects in the area at the same time. This reduces the need for further disruption in the future.

A full list of closure dates and times be found on the National Highways website.

Contractors working on behalf of National Highways will not be carrying out any works over the Christmas and New Year period.