Norwich Northern Distributor Road: 'Missing link' calls

The "missing link" in Norwich's £205m bypass could now go ahead - after a report suggested strong public support.

Norfolk County Council revealed plans for a so-called Norwich Western Link connecting the completed bypass to the A47 north west of the city.

It has been opposed by campaigners keen to protect the environmentally-sensitive Wensum Valley.

The public consultation found more than 1,200 people who responded were in favour of closing the gap.

The final 3.3-mile (5.25km) Broadland Northway section of the city's Northern Distributor Road (NDR) was officially opened in April.

It completed the long-awaited 12-mile (19.5km) bypass around east and north Norwich, which never included a link from the NDR to the A47 west of Norwich.

While some favoured a further stretch of road, 398 people chose the option of improving existing roads, while 268 people wanted improvements to public transport to ease congestion.

More than 750 comments from 530 contributors - identifying problem "rat runs" and slow journey times - were also "pinned" to an interactive map of the area.

Councillor Martin Wilby, chairman of the council's Environment, Development and Transport Committee, said: "People have sent us a clear message about what they want to see happen to improve travel in the area.

"It's important that whatever options we come up with take account of the first-hand experiences of those people who live, work or travel regularly in this area."

The Norwich Western Link would cross the Wensum Valley, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Jenn Parkhouse, chairwoman of the Wensum Valley Alliance, described the public consultation as "flawed".

"To connect these routes would have an enormous environmental impact on the area's wildlife and run-off would damage the quality of the river - quite apart from the air pollution," she said.

"It is also set against a backdrop of austerity, when the council is already having to make huge savings."