Beware of roadworks

Motorists are set to be hit with a double whammy of roadworks and expected tailbacks in the Dereham area.The Highway Agency has announced it was planning repair work on the A47 at Scarning and is expected to start on June 7 and take seven weeks to complete.

Motorists are set to be hit with a double whammy of roadworks and expected tailbacks in the Dereham area.

The Highway Agency has announced it was planning repair work on the A47 at Scarning and is expected to start on June 7 and take seven weeks to complete.

Despite work only being carried out from 8pm to 6am Monday to Friday, there will be a single lane of traffic at all times with a speed limit of 40mph.

Any vehicles over three metres wide have to wait to be escorted through the works by an authorised vehicle, and overnight, the speed limit will drop to 10mph.

Last year there were several weeks of tailbacks, diversions and finishing dates being pencilled in and then pushed back as improvement work was carried out on the A47 Dereham Bypass.

But Highways Agency bosses tried to reassure concerned motorists. A spokesman said: “The reason for works is completely independent to last year's work.

“This is a surface trial to undertake tests on different types of surface and how it wears and noise, things like that. This project is being run in conjunction with a trial in Wymondham and together it will cost £200,000. Work will start on or after Saturday June 7.”

Meanwhile a 10 week project to replace traffic lights at the Yaxham Road and Greens Road junction has started this week.

The £250,000 scheme to improve traffic flow is being paid for by Tesco to ensure their Dereham store expansion can go ahead, and will mean off-peak lane closures.

Norfolk County Council spokesman John Birchall said: “We do try to co-ordinate roadworks wherever possible, both to get as much done as opportunities arise, and to avoid clashes that make matters worse.”