A swathe of changes to Norwich's roads have been approved by councillors, including reduced speed limits, new permit zones and almost £2.5m of spending on one road.

Earlham Road in particular is to see significant change in future, after a £1.7m cycle safety scheme was given the thumbs up by members of the Norwich highways agency committee.

The committee, which is made up of councillors from both Norfolk County Council and Norwich City Council, also approved £750,000 of changes to the Fiveways Roundabout, bringing the pledged spending on the road to close to £2.5m.

The changes will see new cycle lanes installed, improved crossings and a 20mph speed limit introduced between Heigham Road and Christchurch Road.

Meanwhile the roundabout scheme will see lanes narrowed in a bid to slow traffic and new shared pathways for pedestrians and cyclists introduced.

The schemes have been made possible by a grant of just over £1.7m from the Department for Transport to make improvements to the city's cycling provisions.

Mike Stonard, the committee's vice chairman, said: 'I really welcome this scheme and am very proud we have been able to attract the funding to make it happen.'

Meanwhile, the committee also gave its blessing for a scheme that will add 20mph speed limits to hundreds more streets in the city area.

The committee agreed to reduce the limits for more than 300 streets in the Tuckswood, Eaton, Catton Grove, Lakenham and Fiddlewood areas.

It is hoped the £300,000 scheme will improve safety, particularly along the blue and yellow pedalways.

While a consultation into the proposals saw people generally in favour of 20mph limits, there were some objections to traffic calming measures proposed.

One of these, the introduction of double yellow lines on Theobald Road, attracted a petition of 77 signatures. However, while it was agreed the length of the lines be reduced, they were still approved as part of the scheme.

The meeting also saw members agree to introduce new parking permit zones in Lakenham, to be brought in on Abbot Road, Elwyn Road, Gamewell Close, Latimer Road, Randolf Road and parts of Hall road and Barrett Road.