Followers of A47 upgrades may feel a sense of deja-vu.

The latest political high-flyer to be put in charge of the route is following the lead of his predecessors and set to come to see the road in person.

We would be the first to roll out the red carpet and welcome any minister showing an interest in this region.

Until you see the road in person and drive along it, it is hard to comprehend just how many bottlenecks and accident black spots there are. But as well as ministerial visits, we want to see diggers in the ground.

North-West Norfolk MP Sir Henry Bellingham pointed out that a transport minister promised to dual the entire length of the road in 1988.

That was nearly 30 years ago.

We have made progress since 2013, when then-transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin first visited the county with the A47 on the agenda. Many millions have since been pledged and Highways England is set to launch a consultation next month.

But we will keep up the pressure until the road is built. The six upgrades already in the pipeline are just the first step.

There is a long way still to go if the full dualling pledge of the 1988 transport minister, referred to by Sir Henry in the House of Commons this week, is to become a reality.

It will be nice to see the minister - but we would rather his was cutting a ribbon on the very long-awaited route.