Minister launches A11 dualling work
Stephen Hammond, the Roads Minister, at the A11 for the official launch of the dualling scheme. Pictured: Geoff Chatfield (Highway Agency), Stephen Hammond, Stephen Tarr (Ex. Director of Balfour Beatty's major projects business) and Tim Betts (Construction Manager for Birse Civils).
Construction work to dual the A11 between the Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills and Thetford finally officially got under way on Thursday.
The £105 million scheme will see widening of just over five miles of the busy route and a new Elveden bypass and is set to be completed by December next year.
Roads Minister Stephen Hammond, who was at Barton Mills on Thursday to see the work officially started, said: “The Government is committed to giving this country the first-class infrastructure we need, and the A11 is another example of how we are delivering projects that will boost the economy, especially in the east of England.
“We are investing more than two billion pounds in road projects over the next two years, with the Highways Agency developing and starting work on 19 major projects, including improvements to the A11. Once completed, these schemes will add around 250 miles of additional lanes for drivers, easing congestion, creating jobs and supporting homeowners and businesses alike.”
Councillor Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads and transport which has contributed a third of the cost of an underpass for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, which will be built close to the Elveden war memorial, said: “We are incredibly pleased that this project is up and running and it is a relief that work is under way – we have wanted these improvements for some time.
“The dualling of this final stretch of the A11 will be of significant benefit to both the local area and further afield from both an economic and safety point of view.”
There is now a temporary 40mph speed limit along of the whole length of the A11 scheme between the Fiveways and Thetford roundabouts while the work is going on.
Highways Agency project manager Geoff Chatfield added: “The new bypass and widening of the A11 will provide a main highway link to Norwich from London and the south east, as well as benefiting road users and local people by improving road safety and removing the bottlenecks.”
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Thursday 23 May 2013
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