This virtual drone footage shows how a potential third river crossing would look for Great Yarmouth.

The film was shown this morning at a meeting of Norfolk County Council's Environment, Development and Transport Committee, which received an update on the £120m project.

The committee bound the council to underwrite part of the cost of a third crossing over the River Yare.

Members also have pledged to send a delegation to London to lobby the government once their funding bid is submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) at the end of the month.

Building work could begin in the winter of 2020 and is scheduled to take two years to complete with the total cost of the scheme being about £120m, with the council sending its business case to the government by the end of this month.

After today's committee Martin Wilby, Chairman of Norfolk County Council's Environment, Development and Transport Committee, said: 'The third river crossing is vital to Great Yarmouth's future prosperity.

'The town has enormous potential for economic growth, with its burgeoning status as a hub for the offshore renewable energy industry as well as hosting two government-designated Enterprise Zone areas.

'Good transport links are key to attracting investment from businesses, and the resulting skilled jobs and regeneration could make a huge difference to the area and Norfolk as a whole.

'The enthusiastic support we have received for the third river crossing from local residents, the business community and partner organisations is very much appreciated and has enabled us to put together the strongest possible case to secure national funding and move this much-needed project to the next stage.'

Norfolk County Council's proposal for a third river crossing would see a lifting bridge constructed linking the newly-renumbered A47 (formerly A12) at the Harfreys roundabout in the Southtown area of Yarmouth to the port and the Enterprise Zones on the other side of the river.

It is said the new bridge would help to reduce traffic build-up on the town's roads, particularly on its existing Haven and Breydon bridges over the River Yare which often become congested during 'rush hour' times and peak tourist seasons.

Nearly 500 individuals, including local residents and business representatives, responded to Norfolk County Council's public consultation on the proposed third river crossing and wider transport issues in the Great Yarmouth area, which was held between last November and January.

The results showed that:

71pc of respondents said traffic congestion in Great Yarmouth was either a serious or very serious issue;

79pc either strongly agreed or agreed that the third river crossing would make their journey times shorter;

80pc either strongly agreed or agreed that congestion would be greatly reduced by a new river crossing;

81pc said they would be very likely or likely to use a third river crossing.

For more information on the third river crossing, visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/TRC.