A11 To Be Dualled

20 October 2010, 05:30 | Updated: 20 October 2010, 15:43

Work on dualling a major road for Norfolk and Suffolk could start as early as the end of the year.

The government has agreed to fund the work on the last part of the A11 through Elvedon as part of today's spending review.

It's thought it'll help businesses by making the counties easier to get to from London and make the road safer.

Commenting on the news from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the project to dual the final section of the A11 will go ahead, Matthew Hancock, MP for West Suffolk said: ‘This is excellent news for the people of East Anglia, and reflects the efforts of many people over many, many years. It is good for residents, good for business and good for the growth of this area. I am delighted that the government has wisely decided to fund this hugely important scheme, whose benefits will be twenty times the cost. This is an example of a government spending scheme which will create jobs and growth and hugely improve the quality of life for local people and the economic prospects of the region'.

Here is a brief timeline of one of the longest road campain's in the country

1930's - Dual Carriageway to Norwich was first considered

1971 - Edward Heath, as Prime Minister, committed to dualling A11 to Norwich

1975 - The dual carriageway opened to traffic going through Newmarket

2003 - Roudham Heath to Attleborough dualled

2007 - Attleborough bypass was dualled

January 2008 - EEDA publishes report on the A11 plans

Summer 2008 - Plans put forward

Late 2009 - Public inquiry into the plans begins to dual last part of A11 at Thetford.

Recently - Various sections of the A11 between the junction at the M11 in Cambridgeshire and Norwich have recently been upgraded to dual carriageway.

Present - single carriageway from London Road roundabout through Thetford merging onto London Road bypassing Thetford, Wymondham, Attleborough and Snetterton motor racing circuit.

If plans to dual the single carriageway at Thetford get the go ahead today, work will start at the end of 2010 or early 2011.