Police Urging Drivers To Be Safe On A11

22 May 2014, 11:44 | Updated: 22 May 2014, 12:04

Drivers are being reminded to look out for temporary signs and signals along the A11 Fiveways to Thetford where the road is being dualled.

This comes after an increasing number of near misses on the road where people are ignoring the red light on the temporary plant traffic lights south of Elveden.

The plant crossing is about halfway along the road, and allows access to the site and lets construction and farm vehicles cross from one side of the A11 to the other.

The first leg of the dualled road opened for the first time at the end of April, meaning drivers no longer have to pass through Elveden village.

Geoff Chatfield, Highways Agency Project Manager for the scheme, said: "The safety of road users and of our construction team is our top priority. In recent weeks there has been an increase of vehicles running red lights. It is very concerning that people are willing to put themselves and others at risk of serious or fatal injury. 

"These signs are there for a reason and our signal operators do ensure that delays to road users are kept to a minimum . So we ask drivers to be patient and wait for the few seconds it takes for lorries to pass and the lights to change back to green."

Chief Inspector Chris Spinks of Norfolk/Suffolk Constabulary, said:

"Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit patrol this road in both marked and unmarked vehicles, drivers who commit this offence face prosecution and, if a collision occurs as a result of a red light contravention, then not only are these drivers risking serious injury but an offence that could amount to Dangerous Driving may be committed with serious consequences in terms of sentencing."