Warning of more lane closures during Thickthorn work

Motorists have been warned to expect disruption for nearly a year as an underpass is built during the next phase of a major roadworks scheme.

The westbound A47 exit slip road of the Thickthorn roundabout on the outskirts of Norwich will go down from three lanes to one from 06:00 GMT on Monday, for 11 months.

Construction work for the underpass and a new one-mile link road will require removing about 80,000 cubic metres of earth between the A47 and the A11.

Chris Griffin, National Highways project lead, said: "We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of this and we will see significant benefits once it is completed."

The Thickthorn project is intended to speed up journey times, with two new underpasses beneath the A47 and the A11 and a bridge over the A11.

Two new free-flowing slip roads linking the northbound A11 with the eastbound A47 aim to remove about 12,000 vehicles a day from the roundabout.

Work will also begin on a free-flowing lane connecting the A47 to the A11 southbound.

Griffin said: "It is 11 months' worth of congestion [but] I'm sure it will settle down after day one. People will find different routes or plan their journeys more effectively."

There will also be a series of overnight road closures. On 18 November, the A11 will be closed between the Thickthorn junction and Wymondham.

The A47 westbound between the A140 and the Thickthorn junction will be closed overnight on 23 and 24 November.

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