'Short-term pain for long-term gain' at Thickthorn

Motorists have been told that congestion and delays during major roadworks on the outskirts of Norwich will be worth it in the long run.

The overhaul of the A11/A47 junction at Thickthorn, to the south of the city, is set for completion by spring 2028.

The scheme is intended to speed up journey times in the area by building slip roads and underpasses.

Alistair Stout, of National Highways, said: "It is a short-term pain for a long-term gain... it's great we are getting the investment in this area to improve safety, improve traffic and improve the economy, and that's the legacy we will be leaving."

He added: "We understand there is some congestion that we are causing here but stick with us.

"The underpass particularly will save around 12,000 vehicles a day actually going on Thickthorn roundabout, so the congestion will be improved significantly as well."

Iain Letch, project director for contractor Skanska, said the project had been "challenging".

He said: "The junction itself needs more capacity for the amount of road users. It is a challenge daily, even just getting our people into the site every day."

But he said that after spending 11 months on site, his team was "absolutely confident" in being able to complete the work by spring 2028.

Stout said: "There is a long-term safety issue with Thickthorn roundabout which this improvement will help enormously. It will boost the economy, it will mean traffic can flow much more freely."

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