With less than a week to go until the promised reopening of Sweet Briar Road commuters are well and truly ready to be rid of the diversions.

The closure of the section of city ring road has caused havoc across the wider Norwich area since a water main burst under the road on February 17.

A torrent of water washed away a section of the embankment below the busy stretch, causing damage rendering Sweet Briar Road unsafe.

Marriotts Way, a section of which runs below Sweet Briar Road, was also temporarily closed while crews descended on the site to secure the in the wake of Storms Dudley and Eunice.

Homes in the immediate area were also left without water.

But now, more than three months since the disruption first came about, the road is set to reopen at the end of May.

Norwich Evening News: Police near the burst water main at Sweet Briar Road which has led to the closurePolice near the burst water main at Sweet Briar Road which has led to the closure (Image: Archant 2022)

It follows countless push backs and delays, with a previous timeframe for reopening given as the end of April.

An Anglian Water spokeswoman confirmed this week that works to reopen the road before the month is up are "still on track".

However she could not confirm a specific date that road users could once again safely use the thoroughfare - even with the end of May less than a week away.

In the last month teams have undertaken repairs to the water main, as well as the damaged bank, to get the road ready to reopen.

Norwich Evening News: The new pipeline section has been laid at Sweet Briar Road, as works continue to secure the damaged embankment and reopen the busy city thoroughfareThe new pipeline section has been laid at Sweet Briar Road, as works continue to secure the damaged embankment and reopen the busy city thoroughfare (Image: Anglian Water)

Anglian Water explained that the lengthy works - which have now taken a quarter of a year - is due to the fact that Sweet Briar Road required "an incredibly complex repair".

Councillors representing the immediate area, Labour's Chrissie Rumsby for Mile Cross and Maxine Webb for Wensum, said that those living nearby, businesses, schools and road users are bearing the brunt of the "misery" and "carnage" the closure has caused.

The spokeswoman for Anglian Water - which made £136.4m in 2021- added: "We would like to thank everyone for the patience while this emergency work is taking place, and apologise for the disruption this is causing to road users."

Norwich Evening News: The south view of Sweet Briar Road where Anglian Water continues to work to reopen the busy highwayThe south view of Sweet Briar Road where Anglian Water continues to work to reopen the busy highway (Image: Anglian Water)