Part of A140 Long Stratton bypass open to traffic soon

The unusual opportunity is being offered on part of the £47m A140 Long Stratton bypass this Saturday (August 2).

Work on the 2.4-mile road, which people in Long Stratton campaigned to get for decades, started last year.

While the work will continue until later this year, the scheme, being built by contractors Octavius Infrastructure on behalf of Norfolk County Council, has reached a point where some of it will be used by traffic.

Ahead of that, Saturday's community open day has been organised to give the public a one-off opportunity to run, walk or cycle on a section of the new road.

The event will be held between 11am and 3pm with access onto the site by foot and bike via Edges Lane or Parkers Lane only. There will be no access via Church Lane or Hall Lane.

Following the event the new bypass will be open to traffic in the coming weeks and will be used as a diversion route during the remaining construction period.

That will take place once essential works to the existing A140 have been successfully completed during a series of weekend closures.

The A140 Norwich Road to the north of the town is closed this weekend and is due to reopen at 6am on Monday (August 4).

Further closures to begin the southern tie in at the opposite end of the scheme will take place from 8pm on Thursday, August 7, until 6am on Friday, August 8, and then all weekend from 8pm on Friday, August 8, until 6am on Monday, August 11.

The A140 will be closed to all traffic between Wood Lane and the south site compound during these times, with diversions in place.

Alison Thomas, county councillor for Long Stratton (Image: Bill Smith) Alison Thomas, Conservative county councillor for Long Stratton, said: "I campaigned for this new road for many years and I’m delighted to see the project now moving into the final stages."

Paul Browne, project director for Octavius Infrastructure, said: "We appreciate the forthcoming closures in the area will cause some inconvenience, but hopefully the public recognise their importance to the delivery of the project.

"Once these essential works are complete we will be able to use the new road to significantly limit further disruption for the remainder of the project, which we remain on course to complete before the end of the year."