Long Stratton A140 bypass opens to traffic for first time

Drivers are now able to travel on the £47m bypass, but construction on junctions to join it to the existing A140 is continuing.

The Long Stratton bypass (Image: Mike Page)

Cars started using the new 2.4-mile road today (August 11) after weekend closures of the A140 for work on the connecting roads.

Traffic on the new bypass (Image: Octavius Infrastructure Ltd)

The Hall Lane road bridge is also now set to come into use from the end of this week subject to successful completion of final surfacing works.

All through traffic is now able to travel along the full length of the bypass in both directions.

Long Stratton bypass viewed from the air (Image: Mike Page)

But access to the town is from the Church Lane end (northern roundabout) only, while a temporary closure is in place at Parkers Lane (south of the town centre) to allow junction realignment works to be completed.

Temporary lights are currently in place at the southern end of the bypass to maintain access for construction traffic and residents affected by the closure, but council bosses say any delays on the A140 should be minimal.

Alison Thomas, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for adult social care (Image: Bill Smith)

Alison Thomas, Norfolk county councillor for Long Stratton, said: "I campaigned for this new road for many years and I'm delighted to see the project now moving ever closer to completion.

"This is a historic day for the town and I look forward to seeing all of the benefits it brings to our residents and across the whole region once complete."

People in the town have campaigned for decades to get the bypass and work, undertaken by Octavius Infrastructure on behalf of Norfolk County Council, started last year.

The Long Stratton bypass is open (Image: Octavius Infrastructure Ltd)

Paul Browne, project director for Octavius Infrastructure, said: "We thank the Long Stratton community for their ongoing patience and support and are delighted to see cars using the bypass for the first time.

"Reaching this key milestone is testament to the hard work and dedication across our team and delivery partners and will greatly reduce disruption for the remainder of the construction, which remains on schedule for completion by the end of the year."

The A140 bypass is a single carriageway road, linked to the A140 via a new junction at Church Lane to the north.

It runs along the east side of Long Stratton, re-joining the A140 just south of Oakside Farm.

Ahead of the first traffic using the road, hundreds of people took the opportunity to run, walk or cycle on it at a special community day.