£150k safety package announced for A47 in West Norfolk village

Work which officials claim will make a notorious stretch of the A47 in West Norfolk safer for drivers and pedestrians, is due to begin next week.

Transport bosses have today announced a £150,000 package of safety measures for East Winch, including a lower speed limit and a new pedestrian crossing.

And overnight road closures will be in force from Monday to enable the works, which are expected to take up to three weeks, to be completed.

The road has been the subject of repeated calls for safety improvements, including a bypass, over many years, following crashes including one in which three people died in March 2014.

The A47 Alliance, which is campaigning for full dualling of the road, has also identified upgrading the section from Tilney to East Winch as one of its key priorities.

The new package, which officials say follows a review of the junctions within East Winch, will see the current speed limit reduced from 50 to 40 miles per hour.

A new pedestrian crossing point is also set to be installed to the east of the junction with Gayton Road.

Andy Dyer, project sponsor for Highways England, the body responsible for maintaining the route, said: “Throughout the work we’ll be in close contact with Norfolk County Council and East Winch Parish Council to ensure that we can deliver the improvements with as little disruption as possible.

"We’re confident these enhancements will boost safety for drivers and local residents that live and work close to the A47.”

The work is due to start on Monday and mean that the A47 will be closed in both directions, between the Hardwick roundabout at Lynn and the A1122 turning near Swaffham, on weeknights, between 8pm and 6am. The closures will be in place until March 13.

Diversion routes will be in place via the A10, A134 and A1122.