Improved bus and rail links to be delivered in Great Yarmouth

A new project will get underway in Great Yarmouth next month to improve connections between the rail station and local bus services as part of Norfolk County Council's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

Work which is due to start from Monday, March 4, will see a new bus stop lay-by with a shelter and real time passenger information constructed on the eastern (southbound) side of the A149 Acle New Road between the station access road and the Vauxhall roundabout. As well as pavement widening to create a new section of foot/cycleway and real-time passenger information installed within the rail station to direct people to the improved bus services.

Accessibility improvements will also be carried out to the existing bus stop on the opposing carriageway (northbound) side of A149 Acle New Road between the station access road and Fuller's Hill roundabout.

Councillor Graham Plant, NCC cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, said: "Through our Bus Service Improvement Plan we're committed to improving bus services and sustainable transport facilities across the county and this is the first infrastructure scheme to be delivered in Great Yarmouth under this funding.

"This project builds on the fantastic progress we've already made with a number of new and enhanced bus services introduced across the region and improving connectivity between rail, bus, walking, wheeling and cycling supports our long term targets for carbon reduction.

"I would like to thank everyone for their patience while this important work takes place and we will be working with our contractor, Tarmac, throughout to minimise disruption as much as possible. We hope that improvements to bus infrastructure like this, along with the introduction of zero-emission buses and the £2 fare cap, will mean even more people will choose the bus for their everyday journeys."

Works are expected to last for up to 11 weeks with a lane closure in place on the outbound side of the Acle New Road for the duration of works but all traffic management will be removed during the Easter holidays and May Day weekend.

This project is part of a series of improvements aimed at improving bus journey times and reliability of services across the public transport network.

Funding for the project is through the county council's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which was awarded nearly £50m from the Department for Transport (DfT) to improve bus services and infrastructure facilities throughout the county, including in Norwich, King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth.

For full details of the project, including a public information notice with details of traffic management for the work, visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/gybuslink.

You can view all improvements under the Norfolk's Bus Service Improvement Plan so far including those in Great Yarmouth via the Travel Norfolk website.