Topic Projects
Date 17 May 2022
Representatives from Galliford Try’s Highways team and National Highways were joined by Transport Minister Baroness Vere and local MP Steve Barclay for the opening of the A47 Guyhirn junction.
The completion of the junction is a major milestone in the A47 project which is seeing the upgrading and dualling of a 115-mile section of the road between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth.
Local school student, Ava McCulloch, was also present at the opening event as the winner of a competition to rename the Nene Bridge, which has been widened with an additional lane for traffic approaching the Guyhirn junction.
The new bridge will now be known as the Tiddy Mun Bridge. Tiddy Mun is the name of legendary bog spirit who was believed to control the waters and mists of The Fens.
The main work was completed on the year-long project at the end of March which has seen the junction enlarged with additional approach lanes.
The junction was previously the source of regular congestions with over 20,000 vehicles a day using the roundabout. Following the completion of the work, journey times are expected to be reduced and capacity increased by 18%. Wider lanes will also help with visibility for all road users making the junction safer.
National Highways Senior Project Manager for Guyhirn, Jonathan Donlevy, said: “This is great news for local people and those who regularly work and travel through Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
“The improvements we have made here are just the start of the work we are undertaking over the next two years to significantly improve the A47 between Peterborough and Great Yarmouth. This will help connect local communities, ease congestion and support economic growth.”
Galliford Try’s Project Director for Guyhirn, Tim Walker, said: “More than 120 staff have worked for over 110,000 hours to make this happen, and we were delighted to be able to showcase their efforts in this way.
“The enlarged roundabout and additional lanes will ease congestion, ensure shorter journey times and improve safety. We look forward to continuing to work with National Highways and all the stakeholders involved to maintain this progress over the next phases of the A47 dualling.”
Baroness Vere, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Transport, said: “The opening of this vital new road scheme is a significant improvement to the road network in Cambridgeshire and it was a pleasure to be able mark the occasion.
“This is just the first of several schemes totalling an investment of nearly half a billion pounds to promote economic growth, improve road safety and journey times for local residents and people travelling through the area.”
Downing Street Chief of Staff, Rt Hon Stephen Barclay MP, said: “The completion of the A47 Guyhirn junction is great news for motorists, both in facilitating faster journey times and by increasing road safety for drivers and pedestrians.
“The A47 is a vital route for the growth of our economy in North East Cambridgeshire and I look forward to further improvements in due course.”