The first of five massive beams, which will form part of a bridge carrying the Norwich Northern Distributor Road over the railway, has arrived.

The delivery of the 36.7m steel beams for the bridge, which will carry the £178.5m road over the Norwich to Sheringham railway, arrived at Plumstead Road near to Rackheath at just before 1pm today.

Five braced pairs of the beams are being transported from Middlesbrough. They are travelling along the A1, A47 and B1140, through Panxworth, before the reaching the bridge site from Plumstead Road.

Plumstead Road is having to close for each arrival, and more beams will be travelling through the county tomorrow and on Thursday.

Drivers had been warned to expect delays as the beams make their way to the site.

After assembly on site, the beams will be lifted into place on Sunday, April 9 and/or Sunday, April 16.

On those days, trains will have to be cancelled between Norwich and north Norfolk, while the beams are hoisted into place.

Bittern Line trains will be replaced by buses on those days.

Meanwhile, a number of road closures, as well as frequent use of temporary signals, will be needed over the coming weeks as construction of the NDR continues.

Closures on Drayton Hall Lane will continue until March 24, for traffic calming work including road narrowing and chicanes.

From Monday, March 20, Drayton Lane South will be closed for seven weeks until May 5 so roundabouts can be installed.

Holt Road will be shut for a week from April 3 until April 7 and Reepham Road for three weeks from April 17 until May 5.

Buxton Road will close for three weeks from May 8 until May 26.

Norfolk County Council and Balfour Beatty apologise for what they described as 'unavoidable disruption' to travel during construction of the road.

Once complete, the Northern Distributor Road will stretch from the A47 at Postwick to the A1067 Fakenham Road.