Revised proposals for Dereham Road sees pedestrian underpass retained

The pedestrian underpass on Dereham Road in Norwich will remain open under revised proposals, set to be considered next week.

The county council have made a number of changes to the Dereham Road scheme based on the feedback they received as part of a public consultation in November.

Under the original proposals, Butterfly Way pedestrian underpass was set to be filled in. The revised plans would see the underground crossing retained and improved, alongside a new fully accessible street-level crossing.

The recommendations also include work to improve the subway's lighting and drainage and opportunities to improve its look and feel will also be explored. This could involve the council working with local schools to develop artwork to brighten up the area.

The revised proposals feature plans for a smaller travel hub and a number of existing bus stops and bus laybys along Dereham Road kept in their current locations.

Councillor Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure at Norfolk County Council said:

"The local support for keeping the underpass open is clear. The consultation showed us that residents would like to have the choice of how they get across the road, which is what the proposals will now provide.

"It clearly shows that we are listening and adapting our plans where possible, which is what it's all about.

"Dereham Road is a key transport corridor linking existing and future housing, employment and schools with the city centre."

"The scheme will still deliver the benefits we promised, providing shorter and more consistent journey times for buses while creating a safer environment for those walking or cycling along Dereham Road."

Councillor Sharon Blundell, county councillor for the Costessey Division, said:

"I am pleased that the voice of Costessey residents and myself have been listened to on this consultation. I appreciate that not all feedback that was given could be achieved on this project. I would also like to thank the project team on their hard work with this scheme. I hope that Costessey residents can see that contributing to a consultation is in their interest as without their feedback changes may not have happened. I can understand that residents will not be happy with all changes but we have to compromise sometimes. It is appreciated to see money finally being spent in the Costessey area."

There were a total of 423 responses to the consultation for the two schemes that make up the proposals presented for Dereham Road. The results of the consultation showed public support for many of the scheme's key elements and a balanced view on others.

The proposed scheme now includes:

• A reduction in speed limit to 30 mph along Dereham Road between Longwater Lane and Norwich Road to create a safer environment for all road users
• The Butterfly Way pedestrian underpass will be retained and a new signalised street level pedestrian and cycle crossing on Dereham Road will be created
• New sections of inbound and outbound bus lanes will provide shorter and more consistent bus journey times to and from the city centre and Norwich Rail Station
• Improved crossing facilities on Dereham Road at the Richmond Road junction
• Dedicated facilities for those walking or cycling, with raised table side road crossings
• New bus shelters and real time passenger information
• Extensive pavement widening and landscaping

A number of other suggestions were made during the consultation about improvements to the wider area. The county council will look at these ideas in turn to assess their feasibility.

The Dereham Road Corridor scheme will be considered at the Transport for Norwich Advisory committee on Thursday 26 January following the public consultation last year.

Two other schemes will be considered at the committee.

The Mayfly Way scheme will deliver improvements to the shared footway and cycleway. This aims to improve connectivity for people using the Green Pedalway which links Bowthorpe employment area to the city centre. A public consultation carried out last Autumn showed that 82.5% of people either agreed or strongly agreed with the overall aims of the project.

The Newmarket Road proposals will improve cycling and walking by widening footways, providing dedicated cycling infrastructure, providing new and improved crossing facilities. The changes will also make making it easier for buses to travel along the busy A11 corridor. The changes proposed are between the junctions with Claremont Road and Lime Tree Road / Christchurch Road which include the part of Newmarket Road that is intersected by the outer ring road. A public consultation carried out last year showed that 71% of people agreed with overall aims of the proposal.

These projects are being delivered using money from Transforming Cities Fund, awarded to the county council by The Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver a range of schemes across Greater Norwich.

The Transport for Norwich Advisory Committee will consider the reports when it meets at 2pm on Thursday 26 January. Watch the meeting, live or afterwards and read the papers on the Norfolk County Council website.