A reduced speed limit of 50mph is set to come into force on parts of the main Norfolk coast road.

The limit will be cut from 60mph to 50mph on A149 between Babingley and the Dersingham roundabout, and between Snettisham and Heacham.

Norfolk County Council said the two sections of the busy road have a poor injury accident record. The southern section between Babingley and the roundabout with the B1440 has had eight personal injury accidents over the past five years, one was classed as serious.

They include a collision at Babingley involving the late Duke of Edinburgh in January, 2019, in which two women were injured.

Eastern Daily Press: The Duke of Edinburgh's car after the crash on the A149 in January, 2019The Duke of Edinburgh's car after the crash on the A149 in January, 2019 (Image: Archant)

The then 97-year-old Duke, whose car overturned in the crash, apologised to the women afterwards. He was not prosecuted but voluntarily handed in his driving licence afterwards.

The northern section between Paper Hall Farm and Heacham has seen 10 personal injury accidents over the past five years with two serious and one fatality.

Martin Wilby, the county council's cabinet member for highways, “Sadly this part of the A149 has seen a number of serious accidents due to excessive speeds so I welcome this change to help make the route safer for the more than 14,000 vehicles that use it every day.

"We hope this safety improvement will help to complement other recent changes along the road between King’s Lynn and Hunstanton that has seen average speed cameras installed and changes to road signs and markings.”

The new 50mph signage is expected to be installed this autumn which is when the new limit will come into effect.

The new 50mph limits are not along the section of the route already monitored by average speed cameras so the limit through those sections will remain at 60mph.

During the consultation some 11 responses were received in favour of the new limit. There were 42 objections along with a petition with 102 signatures objecting.