What is happening?

The A11 will become a dual carriageway between Fiveways and Thetford. The improvement primarily follows the line of the existing road, except for at the Elveden bypass. View a plan of the scheme (45KB PDF).

When and where is this happening?

Advanced works began in June 2012 to prepare the site and full construction commenced on the 24 January 2013; we are planning to open the scheme to traffic in the third quarter of financial year 2014/15.

Work is taking  place between the Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills, Suffolk and the roundabout at the southern end of the Thetford Bypass, Norfolk, a distance of  9.1 miles (14.8km). The A11 is of dual carriagway standard from the M11 to Norwich, except the section between Barton Mills and Thetford. It provides an important link between Norfolk and the rest of the East of England.

Why is this happening and what will it cost?

This is the last remaining single carriageway section on the strategic M11/A11 route to Norwich, and causes:

• Congestion problems particularly during holiday periods
• Conflict between fast moving trunk road traffic and slow moving agricultural traffic
• Overtaking difficulties
• Difficulties joining the trunk road from side roads
• Adverse environmental effects through Elveden

The estimated outturn cost of this scheme is £105m.

How will the scheme be carried out?

Key features of the new road include:

• Improvement to Fiveways roundabout
• Improved visibility on the approach to Fiveways roundabout
• An underpass to take the B1112 beneath the new road
• The B1106 would pass over the new Elveden Bypass at a two-level junction east of Center Parcs
• Access bridges to assist farming operations at Canada Drive and Chalk Hall Farm
• A Non - Motorised User (NMU) underpass for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders, adjacent to the War memorial

Details of how these works will be undertaken will be updated here once we have more information.

What are the benefits?

The main objectives of the scheme are to:

• Complete the dualling of the A11 between the M11 and Norwich.
• Reduce congestion and provide additional capacity
• Restrict access onto the trunk road
• Improve road safety
• Provide a bypass for the village of Elveden
• Improve journey time reliability
• Minimise the impact of the improved road on the surrounding Breckland, a designated area of important landscape quality and a special landscape area.
• Develop a scheme that is well engineered and economically viable.

How do I find out more information ?

More information will be posted on this project page as it becomes available. You can subscribe to be alerted when updates are made.

If you have any queries about this project you should contact the Highways Agency Information Line by emailing ha_​info@​highways.​gsi.​gov.​uk or calling 0300 123 5000.

Will there be roadworks?

Roadworks will be in place for the duration of the works. There will be ongoing speed restriction of 40 mph 24hrs per day, between Fiveways roundabout (Barton Mills) and Thetford roundabout.

Road Works

How will you manage traffic?

Plant Crossings

Until further notice, there will be plant crossing haul routes in operation controlled by part time traffic signals daytime from 7am until 7pm. They will be manually operated to allow items of heavy plant to cross the A11 and will temporarily stop the traffic in both directions. These will be intermittent as required, and located between Fiveways roundabout and Thetford rondabout.

Week Commencing 27 May

The plant crossing will remain in place on the Friday 24 May but will be lifted for the remainder of the bank holiday Weekend including Monday 27 May. To resume again on Tuesday 28 May

Traffic signals

Two way traffic signal will also be in operation at various locations along the A11 between Fiveways roundabout (Barton Mills) and London Road (Thetford) roundabout overnight, from 8pm to 6am. The maximum length per signal will be 500 metres and minimum spacing between sets will be 2.5 km.

Week Commencing 27 May

C616

The C616 junction with the A11 was closed on Tuesday 26 February 2013. There is no through access. Access to the Household Waste Recycling Centre, Anglian Water facility and the private farm is still possible from the A1065 only. 

A11/B1112 Closure

A 500m length of the B1112 either side of the A11 junction is now fully closed for a period of 12 to 18 months to allow construction of a new underpass to carry the B1112 underneath the A11.  The A11 will remain fully open during these works however the current junction will be closed with no access available between the B1112 and the A11. The remainder of the B1112 from Eriswell to Icklingham will remain open for local access from the A1065 at Eriswell and  the A1101 at Icklingham and a temporary 40mph speed restriction will be in place along the B1112 for safety reasons.

Will there be diversions?

Diversion for A11/B1112 junction closure

Traffic wishing to access the A1101 or the A1065 from the A11 will be diverted via Fiveways roundabout. The B1112 will remain open for local access at the A165 near Eriswell and the A1101 near Icklingham and a temporary 40mph speed restriction will be in place along the B1112 for safety reasons.

Diversion Route Map (165KB PDF)

This section of the A11 lies within an area known as "The Brecks" or "Breckland", which is an area of considerable ecological, archaeological and landscape value. It contains a number of sites of European and National conservation value.

These sites include the Rex Graham Reserve, Weather Heath and Horn Heath which are Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Special Areas of Conservation; Mildenhall Woods County Wildlife Site and the Elveden Village Conservation Area.

Most of the route is a potential Special Protection Area, a European designation relating to the protection of three bird species; stone curlew, nightjar and woodlark.

Environmental Considerations

We will use best practice to safeguard the local environment. We have surveyed the local surroundings and used the results to find ways of reducing any negative effects and also contribute towards improving the local environment. We will plan the construction works to minimise the effects on the environment.

Landscape

• To reduce the visual impact of the scheme, areas of trees, shrubs, and grassland would be planted. Native species that are local to the area would be used where possible.
• The planting design will be in character with the Breckland landscape and include pine shelterbelts, known as 'deal rows'.
• A wider central reserve would be provided at the eastern end of the scheme to retain an area of deciduous trees.
• The scheme through Weather and Horn Heaths would remain within the existing highway boundary to minimise the impact on the heathland.

Wildlife and Nature Conservation

• We have carried out ecological surveys in the area to identify any evidence of a number of protected species, including the Breckland mugwort and other plants, reptiles, bats, badgers, great crested newts and birds.
• Where we have found evidence of protected species, methods have been included in the Scheme design to reduce impacts and in some cases improve the environment for those species.

Local Communities

• Elveden Village would benefit from the bypass, as it would reduce traffic flows through the centre of the village, thus improving road safety and village amenity.
• The Public Rights of Way network would be kept or alternatives provided.

Water

• We will provide appropriate drainage to deal with the surface water from the road.
• These measures ensure road runoff is treated for pollutants, before filtering into the ground or draining into the cut off channel.

Historic Environment

• The area contains features of Cultural heritage importance, including archaeological sites and Listed Buildings such as Barton Hall and the prominent 1920's War Memorial.
• Various methods have been included in the Scheme design to reduce the impacts to historic features.
• Additional survey work prior to construction would enable any potentially undiscovered archaeology to be identified.

Air Quality

• Our assessments show that the majority of residential properties would experience improved local air quality as a result of the scheme, due to enhanced traffic flows.
• We would monitor the effects on air quality in the area with the aim of meeting national air quality objectives.

Noise

• Our noise assessment shows that the majority of residential properties would experience reduced traffic noise levels as a result of the scheme.
• Construction noise and vibration levels would be kept within acceptable limits.

Deer

Four species of Deer are found along the length of the A11 between Barton Mills and Thetford: Red, Roe, Fallow and Muntjac.

Various options for Deer Management have been researched including bridges, underpasses, and extensive fencing and a combination of these. The most effective option was considered to be the adoption of wide verges and incorporation of any new technology found to be effective

Wide verges of up to 10 metres have been incorporated in the design as a buffer zone that will allow drivers an opportunity to see and react to the deer before they stray onto the carriageways.

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