Peter Aldous attended a “sod cutting” event this week for Phase Five of the Lowestoft northern spine road.

 

Construction of the final section of the much-needed new relief road north of the town is due to start with plans amended to include a roundabout junction with the A12 at Corton. It follows a change to planning laws, made by the Government last year, which relaxes the rules around nationally important highways projects.

 

The Northern Spine Road project received a £4.63 million funding boost from the Government in May 2013 which meant the fifth and final stage of the road could be built.

 

Phase five of the scheme, which will see a 1.1km single carriageway built connecting the roundabout at Millennium Way/Bentley Drive with the A12, is the final stage needed to complete this much-needed infrastructure scheme.  

 

Once completed, the road will also include a shared walk and cycleway, which will provide a safe and direct route for pedestrians and cyclists, and remove through traffic and congestion from the residential area of Bentley Drive. It is estimated that 85% of the traffic that will use the new carriageway would have otherwise used Bentley Drive. The new route will also alleviate some of the congestion on the A12 and shorten journey times.