Locals get first look at long-awaited bypass

People living in a traffic-congested town said a new £47m bypass will make an "enormous difference" to the community.

For decades, Long Stratton in Norfolk has been a "pinch point" on the A140 - a crucial link between Ipswich and Norwich. A new section of carriageway to take vehicles around, not through, the town is due to open by the end of the year.

At the weekend, part of the new 2.4-mile (3.9-km) road was opened for a few hours so hundreds of locals could run, walk or cycle along it.

Long Stratton county councillor Alison Thomas said it was a "lovely day for the community to come together".

"It's a road we've been waiting for a very long time," added Thomas, a Conservative councillor.

"We get up to 24,000 cars per day going through [Long Stratton], mostly just passing through.

"This [bypass] will make a massive difference."

Residents were able to try the new route between 11:00 BST and 15:00.

Among them was local cyclist James Youngs. He said it was "superb".

"With the amount of congestion that trundles through Long Stratton, I think it's going to bring immense benefits for the community as a whole," he added.

"It will make it a lot safer travelling through [as a cyclist] rather than living in fear of getting hit by a lorry."

Sarah Wratten said: "I've lived in and around here for nearly 30 years, and I've been looking forward to a bypass for 30 years.

"It's a shame it isn't a dual carriageway, but at least we're not going to have traffic in the same way through the village."

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