Motorists driving to and from Norfolk are experiencing significant delays on the A47 road between Easton and North Tuddenham as National Highways completes its latest project to upgrade 5.5 miles of the road to a dual carriageway, estimated at £ 250-300 million. Since July 23, 2025, commuters and local businesses have been frustrated by delays of up to 30 minutes due to constant lane closures and temporary traffic services. The hope that this significant infrastructure project would relieve congestion and stimulate the regional economy is accompanied by immediate fears of any catastrophes on the roads.
Latest A47 Closures and Traffic Impact
The last works reported on May 27, 2025, concern the closure of lanes at night between the Low Road junction and Easton Roundabout, which will be in use until June 10, 2025, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Traffic lights have been temporarily erected to control the traffic, and one lane has been kept closed so that National Highways can clear vegetation and ensure it is safe.
There is also a daytime closure from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at major intersections, such as Church Lane in Easton, which has led to traffic being diverted through the Longwater Interchange, adding more time to this already worrisome project. These initiatives include proposing new junctions on Berry Lane, Wood Lane, Blind Lane, and Norwich Road, as well as the dualling of the A47.
Complete closure of the A47 Honingham to Easton Roundabouts takes place between 8 p.m. on February 7 and 6 a.m. on February 10, 2026. During these dates, utility diversions will be carried out, and access via side roads will be restricted. Residents will have access escorted. National Highways has also responded by saying, “We apologise in advance, should any disturbance be a result of our works, and wherever possible will keep this to the bare minimum”.
The Reason for the Upgrade in the A47
A47, a major road that links Norwich and Dereham, is infamous for being both a congested and a dangerous road. To change this stretch to some dual carriageway by 2027, the North Tuddenham to Easton project which has commenced in August 2024 is estimated to take three years and cost between 250-300 million.
This will be the final leg of the upgrade of the dual carriageway between Norwich and Dereham, making it safer, saving you travel time, and boosting the Norfolk economy. Such additional access points and new junctions, like those at Lyng Road and Church Lane, will help accommodate large vehicles and allow for improved connections.
Although the project is 20 months behind schedule due to legal challenges that were resolved in May 2024, progress is being made. When the construction was already scaled, the images shot by Mike Page, published on May 27, 2025, demonstrate the scale of the construction activity, with new carriageways and junctions emerging. However, the repeated closures have led to frustration among the locals, including a two-month closure on Church Lane in East Tuddenham from February 28 to April 30, 2025.
Economic and Community Residue
These have caused havoc in the way of life in Norfolk as commuters complain of delayed and confused diversion paths. X-posts reveal how people are feeling: one commenter describes the A47 as a “perennial bottleneck,” and another writes, “One closure after another, all the mess they are causing, when will it stop?” There are also reports of losses for local businesses, especially in Easton and Honingham, due to reduced accessibility, as well as increased costs for delivery drivers resulting from longer travel distances. The possibility of access to villages such as Honingham has been a concern due to the decision to permanently close Mattishall Lane by March 16, 2025.
As highlighted by the Norfolk County Council and National Highways, access to residents will be retained, and there will be customer diversion and traffic marshals. Nevertheless, history, including a recent diesel spill on July 18, 2025, that led to the closure of the A47 westbound between Norwich and Easton, underscores the fragility of the road to unforeseen attacks. The fact that the area needs the A47, which sees thousands of vehicles pass through every day, demonstrates the importance of these improvements, as well as the issues they still pose here and now.
Broader context: The Continuing Transformation of A47
Easton to North Tuddenham is one of a number of schemes in the A47 road, a 300 million-plus programme that will see the delivery of schemes at Bloomfield to North Burlingham, and at Thickthorn Junction, where A47 to A11 connection slip roads are being constructed within the road.
The enhancements focus on congestion hotspots identified in the 2014 Government Road Investment Strategy. Nonetheless, the work process is still ongoing until 2027, so motorists can expect to deal with disruptions over a relatively long period. National Highways has agreed to work on reducing inconvenience by scheduling late-night work and providing real-time updates using Traffic England and Twitter @HighwaysEAST X.
Tips to Drivers
National Highways suggests that drivers should always visit their site or Traffic England to view up-to-date closures. There are major diverting routes through the A146 and A143 in cases of eastbound and westbound major closures. There is a set speed limit of 40 mph on part of it, and it is expected to remove the temporary 30 mph limits when utility diversions are completed. Travellers are advised to plan their travel, allow extra time for their journey, and use signed diversions to avoid late arrival.