A47 North Tuddenham to Easton improvements

Latest updates

• 20 November 2023

  Overnight road closures, 4 to 8 December and 11 to 15 December 2023

  We’ll be making some improvements to Honingham roundabout, Norwich Road, Honingham.

  This is to enable us to create an exit which will allow large and slow vehicles to safely exit our site compound and join the A47 at this point.

  The work will take place overnight between 8 pm and 6 am weekdays from 4 to 8 December and 11 to 15 December 2023.

  To allow us to complete this work safely, one lane of the A47 Honingham roundabout will be closed overnight on these dates, with temporary traffic lights in place to allow traffic flow.

  We apologise for any disturbance caused by our work, and we will try to keep this to a minimum where possible.

  Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

• 09 November 2023

  Update on the legal challenge

  A legal case heard in July this year had challenged the decisions from the Secretary of State for Transport to grant development consent orders (DCOs) for this and two other A47 improvement schemes near Norwich. The High Court judge, Mrs Justice Thornton, dismissed the claimant’s argument.

  However, on 18 October, the Court of Appeal granted the claimant a right to have his appeal heard.

  We have been advised that the one-day hearing will be on 16 January 2024. This is the last step in any legal process, and the Court of Appeal’s decision will be final. There are no further legal options open to either party to challenge or overturn the verdict.

  Allowing the appeal to be heard is disappointing, causing further delay to these schemes. This is a difficult turn of events for those of us who recognise and support the safety case to upgrade key stretches of this very busy road.

  As we have done throughout this process, National Highways will continue to respect the decision of the court. In the meantime, we are taking time to fully consider our next steps. This includes what work can continue at our sites to ensure the areas remain safe and with as little disruption and disturbance to those living nearby as possible.

  We remain committed to delivering these plans, and confident that they will provide significant improvements to both safety and congestion on the A47, as well as helping to boost the regional economy.

• 29 August 2023

  Overnight work and road closure, 11 to 15 September 2023

  We’ll be doing some improvement works to the field entrance near Honingham roundabout, Norwich Road, Honingham. This is to enable us to create a safe entrance which will allow large and slow vehicles to safely exit the A47 at this point.

  The work will take place on the A47 8pm and 5am from 11 to 15 September.

  To allow us to complete this work safely, 1 lane of the A47 and Norwich Road will be closed overnight with temporary traffic lights in place to allow traffic flow.

  We’d like to apologise for any disturbance caused by our work, and we will try to keep this to a minimum where possible.

  Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

• 28 August 2023

  Overnight work and road closure, 5 to 8 September 2023

  We’ll be doing improvement works to the field entrance near Mill Lane, Hockering. This is to enable us to create safe entrance which will allow large and slow vehicles to safely exit the A47 at this point.

  The work will take place on the A47 8pm and 5am from 5 to 8 September.

  To allow us to complete this work safely, 1 lane of the A47 will be closed overnight with temporary traffic lights in place to allow traffic flow.

  We’d like to apologise for any disturbance caused by our work, and we will try to keep this to a minimum where possible.

  Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

• 03 August 2023

  Update on the A47 Norwich schemes

  We have received notification that an appeal on the court’s decision to reject the claims in the judicial review of our three Norwich schemes has been submitted.

  What does this mean?

  The Court of Appeal must now decide whether to grant the claimant permission to appeal. National Highways will be taking all necessary steps to challenge the application. 

  Next steps

  To avoid any further delays, we can continue to carry out early works, such as archaeology, compound set up and utility diversions, on the schemes while we await the court’s decision.

  We stand by our plan to deliver these important schemes and remain confident they can deliver significant improvements to both safety and congestion on the A47, as well as providing a significant boost to the regional economy.

• 07 July 2023

  A47 Norwich schemes – outcome of judicial review

  We have been informed by the High Court that the claims in the judicial review held on 10-11 May 2023 have been rejected, and found in favour of the Secretary of State for Transport.
  
  The judicial review challenged the decisions made by the Secretary of State for Transport in granting development consent orders (DCO) to three A47 road improvement schemes near Norwich.

  The news means that the DCO decisions for these schemes still stand. Among the main grounds for the legal challenges was how cumulative carbon is assessed by the government at a national level. This has been fundamentally rejected by the High Court on all grounds.

  We welcome the outcome, which means we can continue our work to deliver these much-needed schemes:
  
  • New dual carriageway and junctions between A47 Blofield and North Burlingham
  • New dual carriageway and junctions between A47 North Tuddenham and Easton 
  • Redevelopment of Thickthorn junction (where A11 meets the A47 south of Norwich)
  
  Next steps
  Work on these schemes has previously been limited while we were awaiting the outcome of the judicial review. Now that we have this clarity, we are working with our contractor to establish new construction timescales. We intend to start work on the three affected schemes as soon as possible.
  
  Face-to-face public information events
  Over the next few months, we’ll hold another round of face-to-face public information events. Come along to meet the team and hear about our construction plans at the following locations:
  
  • Wednesday 26 July, 10am to 4pm at Norwich Camping and Leisure, 58 Yarmouth Road, Blofield, Norwich, NR13 4LQ 
  • Thursday 27 July, 10am to 4pm at Acle Coop, Norwich Road, Acle, Norwich,          NR13 3BY 
  • Friday 28 July, 8am to 6pm at Castle Quarter Shopping Centre, (near Starbucks) 100 Castle Mall, Norwich NR1 3DD
  • Monday 4 September, 10am to 5pm at Tesco, Kingston Road, Dereham NR19, 1WB
  • Monday 11 September, 9am to 4pm at Tesco, Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR4 6DZ 

• 03 July 2023

  Road closures and overnight survey work until 11 July 2023

  Overnight work and road closure, 3 to 11 July 2023

  We’ll be doing shallow digging work (trial holes) to better understand the type of soils, rock, and ground conditions surrounding the existing A47 road, as part of our survey work on the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton scheme. This is not the start of construction.

  The work will take place on the A47 from Taverham road to Easton roundabout, between 8pm and 5am, weekdays only between 3 to 11 July 2023.

  To allow us to complete this work safely, there will be two-way traffic lights in place.

  We’d like to apologise for any disturbance caused by our work, and we will try to keep this to a minimum where possible.

• 21 December 2022

  Update on the A47 legal challenges

  A legal challenge has been made to the Secretary of State (SoS) for Transport's decision to grant Development Consent Order (DCO) for our three A47 schemes:

  
  • A47 Blofield to North Burlingham
  • A47 North Tuddenham to Easton
  • A47/A11 Thickthorn junction

  
  The challenge mainly focuses on the way cumulative carbon assessments were carried out, along with local carbon plans, bat licences and the completeness of the briefings given to the Ministers prior to the decisions.

  
  On 14 December the High Court held an oral hearing for the claimant to put their arguments to a judge as to why the challenges should proceed to a judicial review. At this hearing the judge granted permission for a substantive hearing, mainly on the grounds of how cumulative carbon is assessed by government at a national level, so the case will now progress to a full judicial review.

  
  A judicial review is the process of challenging the lawfulness of decisions made by public authorities, including central government, so this will now decide whether the SoS acted lawfully. The challenge to the A47 schemes is not on the schemes themselves, but to the process of approving the DCOs.

  
  Delay to our schemes

  
  This means we cannot start work as soon as we had originally planned on the three A47 schemes and have had to delay the improvements our customers have asked us for.

  
  Our continued commitment

  
  We stand by our plans and remain committed to investing almost half a billion pounds on a series of improvements to the A47 the people and businesses of East Anglia have told us they want. These will make the road safer, connect local communities and deliver a huge economic boost to the region.

  
  Over the last three months we have held a series of public information events, attended by over 800 people, and the feedback from our stakeholders was positive towards our A47 schemes.
  We will now work with the Department for Transport, ahead of the case being heard in full.

  More information

  
  • Drive to reducing carbon emissions Net Zero Highways.
  • Commitment to no net loss of biodiversity across all projects by 2025 Biodiversity Plan.

  To make sure you know what’s coming up, sign up to our regular project updates by using the link on the right-hand side of this page.

   

• 12 August 2022

  Development Consent Order given the green light

  Today we welcomed the Secretary of State for Transport’s decision to grant us a planning application called a Development Consent Order (DCO), which allows us to proceed with our plans to improve the A47 between North Tuddenham to Easton.  You can view the decision letter here. 

  The scheme will: 

  • Create a new dual carriageway to replace the existing single carriageway between North Tuddenham and Easton. 
  • Build two new junctions where the A47 passes over the existing local roads, one will be where Berrys Lane meets Wood Lane (Wood Lane junction) and one where Blind Lane meets Taverham Road (Norwich Road junction). This creates a more free-flowing and safer A47, with no access on to the new dualled A47 from local roads.
  • Remove the existing roundabout at Easton to create safer routes for walkers, cyclists and other vulnerable users.

  The improvements will:   

  • Provide a more reliable and integrated network for local communities  
  • Deliver a safer route for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable users 
  • Reduce congestion related delays, improve journey times and increase the overall capacity of the A47 to support economic growth  

  The existing A47 has one of the highest recorded accident rates for an A road in the UK. Traffic modelling data from 2019 shows this section of the A47 is used by over 25,000 vehicles a day.  

  The scheme will improve road safety by reducing the number of accidents and consequently the number of casualties. Over a 60-year timeframe, the scheme’s improvements could save up to 341 accidents and 64 killed or seriously injured (KSIs).    

  For more information on our DCO and to view our documents, visit the Planning Inspectorate website. 

  Keeping you informed  

  You can find out more about our plans and speak to our construction and project team at the following public drop-in events: 

  Friday 11 November 2022, midday to 8pm

  Heathersett Village Hall, Back Lane, Hethersett, Norwich, NR9 3JJ

   

  Tuesday 15 November 2022, 8am to 4pm  

  Co-op Acle, Norwich Rd, Acle, Norwich NR13 3BY  

   

  Friday 18 November 2022, 9am to 4pm  

  The Willow Centre, Willow Croft Way, Cringleford NR4 7JJ  

   

  Friday 25 November 2022, 10am to 6pm  

  East Tuddenham Hall, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 3LR

   

  Wednesday 30 November 2022, 8am to 4pm  

  Waitrose Wymondham Norwich Rd, Wymondham NR18 0SH  

   

  Thursday 1 December 2022, 9am to 6pm POSTPONED due to venue double-booking* 

  Chantry Place, St Stephens St, Norwich NR1 3SH 

   

  Friday 2 December 2022, 8am to 5pm  

  Hay Hill Haymarket, Market Place, Norwich NR2 1ND 

   

  Friday 9 December 2022, 8am to 5pm  

  Castle Quarter Shopping Centre, Castle Meadow, Norwich NR1 3DD  

   

  Monday 16 January 2023, 9am to 6pm (*new date for previously postponed event) 

  Chantry Place, St Stephens St, Norwich NR1 3SH 

• 14 February 2022

  Examination is now closed

  The Development Consent Order (DCO) examination for the A47 Tuddenham to Easton closed on 12 February 2022.
  
  The Planning inspectorate will now prepare a report, including a recommendation, within three months of the close of examination and send this to the relevant Secretary of State.

  The Secretary of State then has a further three months to make the decision on whether to grant or refuse the DCO.

  For more information on the DCO process, our application or to sign up for updates please visit our scheme page on the Planning Inspectorate website.

• 21 January 2022

  Planning Inspector examination process

  The A47 North Tuddenham to Easton scheme’s Development Consent Order (DCO) examination started on 12 August 2021 and will finish on 12 February 2022. The examination process is explained on the Planning Inspectorate's website.

  The dates for examination can be viewed on the Planning Inspectorate’s Examination Timetable page.

  For more information on our DCO application and to sign up for email updates about our project, please visit the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton Planning Inspectorate’s web page.

• 23 June 2021

  Planning Inspectorate acceptance of scheme submission

  We are pleased to announce that our Development Consent Order Application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in March 2021 and was accepted in April 2021, allowing us to progress through to examination. The process is explained on the Planning Inspectorate's website.

  The Section 56 Notice notifies the public that the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton Development Consent Order application has been accepted for examination. View the Section 56 Notice.

  Members of the public were able to register to participate in the examination and provide a response to our application during the Relevant Representation period, which closed on Thursday 17 June 2021 at 23:59.

  Details of next steps for this scheme are available on the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton Planning Inspectorate’s web page.

   

• 10 June 2021

  Ground investigations and surveys

  We’re continuing with some important surveys and ground investigations work in the area. These started in March and will carry on until October 2021. They will give us a clearer picture of the condition of the existing road, as well as types of soils, rock types and the ground water levels where we are proposing to upgrade the road.
  
  

  This work will help us start to plan the work safely and economically, ahead of the next stage in the project. However, this is not the start of construction.
  
  

  You can expect to see survey vehicles and equipment in operation close to Tuddenham, although some of the surveys will take place on private property such as farms and surrounding land.
  
  

  Types of surveys we’ll be carrying out:

  • Topographical surveys which are aerial surveys to understand the existing levels of the area.
  • Utility trial holes to identify the precise location of existing services and utilities.
  • Ground investigations to understand the existing environment and subsoil elements, in order to ensure the chosen design is a workable solution.
  • Road surveys which are a series of tests on the existing road to determine condition, depth and materials.
  • Surveys to understand the condition of existing bridges.

  Where survey work is due to take place next to residential properties, we will write to those residents in advance and let them know what is happening and when. We have advised landowners where we need access to their land. Some of the surveys will take place on the road, so we will need to make some lane closures to ensure our workforce is safe during the work.

  You can read more about surveys in our leaflet.

  Lane and road closures during the surveys

  Follow our regional Twitter and Facebook accounts at @HighwaysEAST for the latest updates.

• 19 April 2021

  Plans to dual A47 between North Tuddenham and Easton move a step closer

  Plans for a new dual carriageway and junction improvements moved a step closer after Highways England’s proposals were formally accepted by the Planning Inspectorate for examination last Monday (12 April).

  Highways England is improving the A47 in six places between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth as part of a £300 million-plus investment, including the Norfolk section between North Tuddenham and Easton.

  The Planning Inspectorate will now start the process of a full examination of Highways England’s proposals before deciding whether to grant a Development Consent Order, which will help to inform the Secretary of State for Transport when deciding whether to give the green light for construction to begin two years hence.

  Highways England programme lead for the A47, Chris Griffin, said: “This stretch of road connects areas of growing economic activity around Norwich. The current layout of the road can act as a bottleneck, resulting in congestion and slower journey times. Our improvements will make shorten journeys while improving safety for the thousands of drivers who use this stretch of road daily, while also maintain connectivity and improving access for local residents.

  “The decision to accept our DCO application represents a major milestone for the scheme, not only for us as the project team but for all those who have supported this project over a number of years.”

  

  The preferred option for upgrading this stretch was announced in August 2017, and a statutory consultation was held last year that had nearly 700 responses. That feedback found that almost three quarters of people felt that road improvements were needed on this stretch of road, and that Highways England’s proposals would help reduce congestion and shorten journey times.

  Feedback received during a consultation in Spring 2020 refined the scheme design, which now includes an added underpass for traffic and pedestrians at Mattishall Lane, replacing the Church Lane underpass and link road.

  Changes to the Wood Lane southern junction into Dereham now reuses more of the existing A47, while the new River Tud Bridge has been altered based on feedback from the Environment Agency. A walking and cycling link was added from Honingham to St Andrew’s Church via an A47 underpass, while the Norwich Road junction was moved east to reduce the impact on the church, while maintaining farm access.

  The northern roundabout at the Norwich Road junction was changed removing the link to Church Lane, and a new walking and cycling route added between Easton and Lower Easton, replacing the existing one which crosses the A47. New embankments will reduce traffic noise, and an extra wetland drainage zone will provide a welcome boost for the environment by increasing biodiversity.

  Councillor Martin Wilby, Chairman of the A47 Alliance and Cabinet member for Highways, Infrastructure and Transport at Norfolk County Council, said: “The A47 is crucial for the economic prosperity of Norfolk, connecting Norwich to Peterborough in the west and Great Yarmouth in the east. Thousands of our residents use the A47 for commuting, for seeing family, for trading, for holidaying, and far more.

  “This package of improvements that Highways England will deliver along the A47 will thus be of huge benefit to not just Norfolk, but to the whole region, making journeys shorter and safer for our residents.”

  The Planning Inspectorate’s examination process will provide people with the opportunity to comment on the proposals in writing as well as the chance to participate in hearings. Following the examination, the Planning Inspectorate will make a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Transport, who will decide whether the project can move forward with construction. If the application is approved, work on building the road is due to start in March 2023.

  More information about the Development Consent Order process can be found on the Planning Inspectorate’s website at www.infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/  

• 13 April 2021

  Update – April 2021

  This scheme is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), which means it’s classed as a large, complex infrastructure project that benefits the entire country.

  To build the scheme, we need to seek permission through a special planning process and gain a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Planning Inspectorate.

  We submitted our DCO application in March 2021. Our application was accepted by the Planning Inspectorate on 12 April, allowing us to progress through to examination. The next steps in the process can be found on the Planning Inspectorate's website.

  The application can be viewed here. You will soon be able to register to be involved in the examination process as an Interested Party. We'll update this webpage as soon as we have a confirmed date. 

  Details about how to have your say can be found in this video by the Planning Inspectorate. You can also read more about the DCO process in this booklet.

• 18 March 2021

  Update - March 2021

  The statutory consultation on our proposal to upgrade the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton closed at the end of April 2020. You can still read the consultation brochure and additional supporting material in the Documents area below.

  We have been reviewing and considering the responses from the consultation and where appropriate, used the feedback to refine our proposed design. To keep you informed on the progress we’ve made since April, we have issued a project update for Winter 2020.

  We are still continuing conversations with key stakeholders as well as carrying out ground investigation and environmental surveys, which may feed into further design changes as our Development Consent Order application is processed. 

  The application includes a consultation report which features a summary of responses and describes which suggestions we were able to incorporate. This demonstrates how we have listened to feedback.

  Our Development Consent Order application has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and is available to view the Planning Inspectorate website.

• 27 May 2020

  Consultation now closed

  We consulted on proposals to make the A47 between North Tuddenham and Easton a dual carriageway and create two new junctions.

  Our plans for the scheme have progressed since we announced our preferred route, following consultation with the public in August 2017. Route option 2 was selected, and amended, to address some of the key concerns raised by members of the public. This takes the proposed route away from the existing carriageway to the south of Hockering and to the north of Honingham before rejoining the existing A47 at Easton.

  We held a statutory consultation on our proposals, and this ran from 26th February until 30 April 2020. You can still read the consultation brochure and additional supporting material in the in the Documents area below.

  Now that the consultation has closed, we are reviewing all the feedback and producing a consultation report.

  We will then continue to develop the design and continue to engage with the community as our plans develop.

  We will also carry out further survey work, including ground investigations and environmental surveys.