Villagers hope road closure will ease rat-running

Villagers are hopeful an imminent road closure will help ease rat-running problems in their community.

People living in villages to the west of Norwich have regularly complained about drivers cutting through between two major roads as the wait for a £247m link road goes on.

The situation could be improved once a road used by rat-runners to the city's A47 southern bypass is cut off, when the Easton roundabout is closed permanently from 20:00 BST as part of major works to dual the road.

Lindy Cooper, Ringland Parish Council chairwoman, said: "You have to be careful – there are lots of sharp, dangerous bends."

As the Easton roundabout is decommissioned it will mean the junctions are closed for Church Lane, towards the small village of Ringland, and the Dereham Road, towards the bigger and better-connected village of Easton.

A lengthy 65-mile (100km) diversion will be in place for the weekend, until 06:00 BST on 3 August, when the project is expected to be completed.

It is being replaced with a new section of dual carriageway as part of a National Highways project costing up to £300m to dual the A47 between North Tuddenham and Easton, which the agency says will ease congestion and improve safety.

Drivers must navigate winding country roads to reach Ringland, using a weight-restricted bridge that is more than a century old.

Residents worried the changes could mean large volumes of traffic would travel past homes in the centre of the village using a different route, Honingham Lane.

This is due to Taverham Road reopening where the new A47 junction will be, which leads directly to Honingham Lane.

To avoid this, Honingham Lane is next week being temporarily closed by National Highways to stop drivers using narrow country roads through the village, after consultation with Ringland Parish Council.

Cooper said: "We do have a lot of problems with traffic and other people who want to visit Ringland because it is a lovely place."

She said speeding and parking could be an issue, with the parish council urging those who do drive through the village to go via Ringland Road and the Weston Road towards the A47.

Local resident Nick Adams said: "I firmly believe that the alternative route we've proposed is going to be less constrained, less difficult than a route through the centre of the village.

"Ultimately it should lead to a better traffic flow and a lot less frustration on the part of the people having to drive that road, but also it will protect our village from an unnecessary massive increase in traffic."

However, there are concerns the temporary closure of Honingham Lane may be lifted in the future before a long-term solution has been found in the area, such as the Western Link road.

David Thomas, the Liberal Democrat county councillor for the area, said: "Drivers are going to drive where they want to go and to get the mitigation right in all the areas in the valley affected by this like Ringland, Weston Longville and Honingham, Highways have got to get that balancing act right.

"They've brought in this mitigation which hopefully, when traffic settles, should have a positive impact until the other closures and changes come with the A47."

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