Road closures as weeks of new Norwich roadworks start

Drivers have been reminded that weeks more Norwich roadworks are about to begin - with major changes for one of the city's busiest roundabouts.

Work to put a new zebra crossing in Cleveland Road will start on Tuesday (August 31), while the following week, on Monday, September 6, a £330,000 revamp of the city's Grapes Hill roundabout will begin.

The Grapes Hill revamp, criticised by Norwich Cycling Campaign, will see some traffic lights removed and changes made to cycle routes and crossings.

Council officers say the Transport for Norwich schemes will improve safety and ease congestion, but that weeks of work, due to continue until November, will inevitably cause disruption, with a number of road closures and changes.

From Tuesday (August 31) until the work is complete there will be:

• No left-turn out of Bethel Street into Cleveland Road to access Grapes Hill roundabout. The diversion will be via St Giles Street and Exchange Street, being temporarily re-opened after a period of it being closed to traffic so restaurants could use outdoor space for tables.
• Cleveland Road will be one-way only eastbound, heading away from the roundabout.

From Tuesday (August 31) until Monday, October 11:

• All traffic will be able to access Upper St Giles Street from Cleveland Road, but will not be able to leave Upper St Giles via Cleveland Road.
• The existing one-way system via Cow Hill and Willow Lane will be reversed to allow vehicles to exit Upper St Giles Street via Willow Lane.
• No vehicle entry to Bethel Street from Cleveland Road. Access to Bethel Street will be via St Giles Street and St Peters Street.
• On-street permit parking on Willow Lane suspended.

And when the Grapes Hill work starts on Tuesday, September 6, it will mean:

• Convent Road closed westbound (heading away from Grapes Hill towards Unthank Road). Diversion via Chapelfield Road, Newmarket Road, Colman Road and Earlham Road.
• No access to Unthank Road from Convent Road and Earlham Road – access to Unthank Road will be from Colman Road.
• Lane closures on Grapes Hill roundabout.
• Pavement closure on the Hamlet Centre side of Convent Road for up to four weeks.

Martin Wilby, Norfolk County Council’s cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, and chair of the Transport for Norwich Joint Committee said: “The two projects in the Grapes Hill roundabout area are designed to improve safety for those walking and cycling, while also providing quicker and more reliable journeys for bus passengers and better flow of general traffic.

“As with any construction work on our roads, the traffic management needed to complete the work safely will cause some disruption but we have programmed this so that both schemes are delivered at the same time to help keep it to a minimum.

"During this time, I would like to ask people to plan their journeys ahead and allow extra time when travelling through the area.

"These are significant projects which will bring significant improvements for all modes of transport in this area of Norwich so I would like to thank everyone affected for their patience while work takes place.”