Drivers faced heavy queues this morning as up to 14 weeks of work began on Chapel Field North in Norwich.

The street will be shut to vehicles and pedestrians for the next 12 to 14 weeks as car part of carriageway widening to make the road two-way, the removal of the footway on the south side, the reconstruction and widening of the northern footway and resurfacing of the carriageway.

Cars were queuing along Chapel Field East and Theatre Street heading towards the city centre this morning as well as the corner of Bethel Street.

While Chapel Field North will be shut, access will remain to properties along the road from Little Bethel Street or Theatre Street.

During the road closure, the exit from Little Bethel Street will be to Theatre Street rather than to the Grapes Hill roundabout. Pedestrians and cyclists will be redirected along the new path that has recently been constructed in Chapelfield Gardens.

Drivers will not be able to cross the city centre using Westlegate, Rampant Horse Street, Theatre Street and Chapel Field North (ie heading north-west from John Lewis, passing the Theatre Royal and Chapelfield Gardens to Grapes Hill roundabout).

The scheme also involves making Cleveland Road and Bethel Street two-way. Work at the Grapes Hill roundabout and on Cleveland Road is also due to start on Monday. Changes to two-way operation will allow the permanent closure of Little Bethel Street to vehicles.

The changes are part of the £1.7m Transport for Norwich scheme, which will ultimately also see general traffic banned from St Stephens Street. A new bus lane has been put in place on Grapes Hill as part of the project.