Upgraded junction on A47 opens to drivers

Journeys to and from West Norfolk should be a little easier from today after a long-awaited upgrade to one of the region's busiest roads finally opened.

The expanded Guyhirn roundabout, near Wisbech, is one of six sections of the A47 for which funding for upgrades was first pledged eight years ago.

But now, after years of delay and several weeks of road closures latterly, the new-look junction finally opened to motorists today.

The newly improved junction with the A141 has been widened to provide an additional lane for traffic on all three approaches.

The bridge over the River Nene, on the Peterborough side of the junction, has also been widened.

Jonathan Donlevy, National Highways project manager for the area, said: “Guyhirn is a key junction for people who live, work and travel in and around Cambridgeshire and Norfolk helping to connect communities in these rural areas.

“We’re excited that road users will now experience the full benefits of this upgrade.”

Work to improve five other sections of the route in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk is expected to be completed over the next two years, dualling around eight more miles of the route between Peterborough and Yarmouth.

However, the long-term aim of political and business leaders across the region remains the securing of a commitment to full dualling of the entire 115-mile route in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.