The westbound section of Norwich's Northern Distributor Road is set to open to traffic next month.

The road, between the A1067 Fakenham Road and the A140 Cromer Road, is scheduled to open in the early hours of Saturday November 11.

The three and a half mile route includes roundabouts at Fir Covert Road, Reepham Road and Drayton Lane which are already in use.

Signs will be installed to warn drivers to expect traffic to be on the NDR.

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For eastbound traffic the carriageway will be reduced to a single lane on the final section from Drayton Lane as motorists will have to leave at the slip road to join the A140.

Other than this restriction, the newly-opened road will be available as a normal part of the road network, with the national speed limit of 70mph on the dual carriageway.

Martin Wilby, chairman of the County Council's Environment, Development and Transport Committee, said: 'This is a terrific achievement and means that a significant part of the route will open to traffic around four months ahead of the original schedule.

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'There's growing confidence in the construction team that a further stretch all the way to the A1151 Wroxham Road will be open around Christmas or soon after the turn of the year, and that the whole of Norwich NDR will be open as planned in the Spring.'

The opening in November depends upon completion of the A140 Cromer Road junction with the NDR under a series of overnight closures which start on Monday.

But the joint Balfour Beatty and Norfolk County Council construction team believe it will be completed on time.

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During this work traffic will be diverted at the Boundary junction on Norwich Ring Road, along Reepham Road, New Drayton Lane, B1149 Holt Road and Shortthorn Road back to the A140.

Chris Sedman, Balfour Beatty's NDR project director, added: 'We are delighted to be completing the western section of the NDR ahead of schedule, which will deliver immediate benefits to the local community and travelling public.'

Construction on the controversial 12.5 mile road started in 2016 and when completed it will run from A47 at Postwick, south-east of Norwich, to the A1067 Fakenham Road north-west of the city.