Users of Wroxham Road are being warned it will close for more than a week next month to allow for the construction of the NDR.

The road will be closed to all traffic – including pedestrians and cyclists – for ten nights and nine full days to allow a deep culvert to be cut through Wroxham Road as part of the construction of the A1270 Norwich Northern Distributor Road. Thrust-boring under the road without a closure had to be ruled out because the deep pits needed would be well below the water table, and keeping these dry would risk damaging the nearby wetlands and fishing lakes.

Diversions will be in place during the closure, between 8pm on Friday, October 6 and 6am on Monday, October 16.

Light vehicles and buses will leave the A1151 close to the point of closure, going via Green Lane West, through the weight restricted section at Rackheath, joining Salhouse Road at the Sole & Heel roundabout, Rackheath, and returning to Wroxham Road via Norwich Ring Road.

Heavy Goods Vehicles, including those serving Rackheath Industrial Estate, will have to divert from the A1151 close to Wroxham, using the B1140 to Salhouse, and then Salhouse Road to the Sole & Hell roundabout and continuing to Norwich Ring Road.

Next week, traffic using the A140 Cromer Road will be switched on to the new bridge over the A1270 Norwich Northern Distributor Road early next week to allow the existing road to be broken up and removed to make way for the new dual carriageway.

Temporary traffic lights will remain in place on the A140 while preparatory work continues over the weekend. If possible traffic will be moved on to the bridge – which was surfaced this week – on Monday. The direct connection between the bridge and the A140 will be in use until a new north side roundabout – which will provide slip road connection to the A1270 NDR's eastbound carriageway – is more advanced. (On the south side the existing roundabout is being adapted to serve the westbound carriageway.)

In the meantime, moving the traffic from the old road will allow its rapid planing out and removal, and the drainage of the rainwater sump that has formed on the airport side of the road. This will enable the NDR dual carriageway base to be established and stabilised for surfacing.

At the same time, work will continue on the north roundabout and junction slip roads. The final tie-in of the new roundabout will be carried out under a series of overnight (8pm to 6am) closures of the A140 in several weeks' time (dates to be fixed).

Norfolk County Council and Balfour Beatty apologise for the disruption and inconvenience caused by traffic management measures during construction of Norwich Northern Distributor Road.