Work involved in dualling the last single stretch of the A11 will begin on Monday following a decision to bring part of the project forward from next year.

Preliminary work on the long-awaited dualling between Thetford and Barton Mills is set to begin early to ensure work to widen the last nine-mile stretch of the A11 starts on schedule in 2012/2013.

Prime minister David Cameron confirmed last month that the scheme would begin in the next financial year and the latest news was welcomed by campaigners who have fought for decades for the road's completion, due in 2014/2015.

South West Norfolk MP Elizabeth Truss who, along with West Suffolk MP Matthew Hancock and others, made sure the A11 remained at the top of the political agenda in the lead-up the government spending review last year, said she was 'so excited'.

'I've been told that initial work is going to be started, which has been brought forward by a year,' she said. 'It isn't construction work but it's going to be on-site preparation.

'If the work had been left longer there would have been no contingency in the schedule for bad weather or anything like that. I think this should give people confidence it will now be delivered on time.'

See tomorrow's paper for more.