Noisy traffic on the NDR has been branded 'unbearable and annoying' by people living on its route.

Eastern Daily Press: Martin Wilby at the opening of the full Broadland Northway (NDR). Picture: Denise BradleyMartin Wilby at the opening of the full Broadland Northway (NDR). Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

The Northern Distributor Road, now renamed the Broadland Northway, opened fully in April last year to relieve city centre traffic, but has sparked noise and safety concerns from residents around Salhouse Road.

Jan Evans, who lives on Harrison Drive, said she can no longer sit in her garden because of the "constant and busy traffic".

The 59-year-old said: "You can't have a barbecue. It's noisy and constant. It's really miserable with all this hot weather - we have to choose between noise and heat."

We used a decibel reading smartphone app in the garden, and at points it reached over 85db, which, according to the NHS, "can be harmful".

Her neighbour, who did not wanted to be named but has lived on the cul-de-sac for 13 years, said that the sound was "driving me round the twist".

The 70-year-old said: "Because it's so hot I have to have the windows open but the noise wakes me up at the crack of dawn. I can't sit in my garden. I'm annoyed and very angry."

Other residents, though, raised concerns about the speed of traffic. Margaret Burridge, 71, a retired care assistant, said: "It's not ideal but it could be a lot worse. The noise doesn't affect me so much as I have double glazing, but there is always a stream of traffic. People with children now have to be extra vigilant. The vehicles are quite intimidating."

There were also complaints that the NDR is not large enough to accommodate the articulated lorries that pass through.

And another resident, David Cooper, said the traffic was scaring off wildlife in the nearby woodlands. The 68-year-old said: "You don't even see a hedgehog here anymore. I used to get deer come into my garden and I would feed them, but they've disappeared. It's just mayhem."

Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: "The Broadland Northway is a very successful project which has brought lots of positive feedback from local residents and businesses who have seen faster travel times, and a cut in the number of vehicles travelling on inappropriate suburban and rural roads."

The council also said the Salhouse Road has been assessed and was suitable HGV traffic, with the expected increase in traffic lower than predicted.