The A47 dual carriageway at Blofield is fully open. Broadland Northway resurfacing is booked to February 2027. Key routes, park and ride prices and live links.

Broadland’s road network is unusual for a district this size, because it is built around a city it does not contain. Almost every journey out of the district’s villages ends up on one of two roads that curve around Norwich: the Broadland Northway across the top and the A47 underneath. Knowing which one you want, and where the two park and ride sites sit on them, saves more time than any individual roadworks update.

This page covers what has actually changed on those roads, what is booked in, and where to check live before you set off.

The ring around Norwich

Schematic map of the main roads around Norwich serving Broadland Diagram showing Norwich at the centre with two curved roads around it. The A1270 Broadland Northway runs across the north from the A47 at Postwick in the east, past Rackheath, Sprowston, the Airport Park and Ride, Horsford and Taverham, to the A1067 Fakenham Road in the west. The A47 southern bypass runs across the south from Postwick to Longwater. East of Postwick the A47 continues to Blofield, where a new dual carriageway opened in 2026, then on to Acle and Great Yarmouth. Spurs run north on the A140 to Aylsham and the A1151 to Wroxham. Postwick Park and Ride sits at the eastern junction and Airport Park and Ride on the northern arc. Two roads carry almost all of Broadland Schematic, not to scale. The Northway and the A47 meet at Postwick, which is where both park and ride sites and the new dual carriageway sit. Norwich not in Broadland A1270 Broadland Northway 12.4 miles, opened April 2018 A47 southern bypass Postwick P&R + junction Airport P&R NR6 6JT, free parking A47 east Blofield, Acle, Great Yarmouth new dual carriageway Rackheath, Sprowston Taverham, Horsford A1067 Fakenham Rd A140 north to Aylsham A1151 to Wroxham If you live north or east of the city, the Northway is almost always faster than crossing Norwich, even when it looks longer on a map.
The Northway and the A47 meet at Postwick. Between them they carry nearly every journey out of Broadland.

The A47 at Blofield: finished, mostly

The biggest change to Broadland’s roads in years is done. National Highways has replaced the old single-carriageway stretch between Blofield and North Burlingham with 2.6 miles of new two-lane dual carriageway, built roughly 70 metres south of the old road, at a cost of £90m to £100m.

Traffic was switched onto the new alignment on 18 March 2026, along with the new B1140 South Walsham Road link. As of this summer, in National Highways’ own words, “the cones have been lifted and the new A47 dual carriageway is now fully open, with two lanes of traffic in each direction and a 70mph speed limit” (National Highways).

What is not finished is everything around it: the local road network, cycle paths and landscaping. That means overnight closures continue, typically 8pm to 6am, with diversions via the A146 Loddon Road and A143. If you drive the Blofield to Acle stretch late at night, check before you leave rather than after you arrive at a closure.

What it means for you: the daytime run east from Postwick towards Acle and Great Yarmouth is genuinely quicker than it was a year ago. The overnight picture is still disrupted and will be for some months.

Broadland Northway: resurfacing booked into 2027

The A1270 Broadland Northway is the district’s spine: 12.4 miles of dual carriageway completed in April 2018, running from the A47 at Postwick round the north of Norwich to the A1067 Fakenham Road, past Rackheath, Sprowston, the airport, Horsford and Taverham.

Norfolk County Council has a Reclamite spray and asphalt rejuvenation programme running on it. The slip-road phases ran from 28 July 2026, and the notice allows the main-carriageway works to continue until 20 February 2027 (Norfolk County Council traffic notice, published 17 July 2026). The published alternative route is the Northway itself and the A140 Cromer Road.

That end date is not a prediction that works will run that long. Temporary traffic orders are written with a long backstop so the council does not have to re-advertise if a phase slips. Treat it as “expect intermittent overnight lane closures on the Northway into next winter” rather than “the road is shut until February”.

Other works currently booked in Broadland

From the same set of Norfolk County Council temporary traffic notices, published 17 July 2026. All carry the same long backstop dates.

Booked roadworks in Broadland parishes, summer 2026
WhereWhatDatesDiversion
Sprowston, Salhouse RoadSurface dressing, Mousehold Lane to the Broadland Northway, including 19:00 to 05:00 phasesFrom 19 July, backstop 14 September 2026Mousehold Lane, Oaktree Drive, Wroxham Road, Broadland Northway
Thorpe St Andrew, Thunder LaneSurface dressing, 19:00 to 00:0031 July to 4 August, backstop 15 September 2026B1140 Plumstead Road East, Harvey Lane, A1241 Yarmouth Road
Horsford and Newton St Faith, Broadland NorthwayReclamite spray and asphalt rejuvenation, slip roads then main carriagewayFrom 28 July, backstop 20 February 2027A1270 Broadland Northway, A140 Cromer Road
Brundall, Braydeston CrescentNew duct, cabinet and chamber installationFrom 22 July, backstop 22 September 2026Highfield Avenue

Roadworks move. Before you rely on any of the above, check one.network, which is the live map every UK highway authority files its closures into, and covers Norfolk County Council, National Highways and the utilities in one place.

Park and ride, and why Broadland has two of them

Two of Norwich’s five park and ride sites are in Broadland, and both are on the ring described above.

Airport Park and Ride sits at Buck Courtney Crescent, NR6 6JT, just off the A140 north of the city. Parking is free for anyone using the bus. Route PR1 runs up to every 14 minutes on electric buses to the Bus Station and Castle Meadow. First bus is 05:55 on weekdays, 07:30 on Saturdays and 08:15 on Sundays, and the last bus back from Castle Meadow is 20:14 every day (First Bus).

Fares are per day, not per journey:

  • Adult: £3
  • Young person (5 to 19) or concession: £2
  • Duo, any two people: £4
  • Group, up to five people: £5

A group of five going into Norwich for the day therefore pays £5 in total, plus nothing to park. Compare that with any city-centre car park before you drive in.

Postwick Park and Ride sits at the eastern end, where the Northway meets the A47. It is served by route PR3, operated by Central Connect, which runs to Norwich Railway Station in 11 minutes and on to Castle Meadow and the Bus Station (Bus Times). The rail-station stop is the point: if you are heading for a London train, which means changing at Norwich anyway, Postwick is the natural place to leave the car.

Station parking

Broadland’s own stations are small and their car parks are correspondingly small. Brundall, Brundall Gardens, Lingwood, Acle, Buckenham, Cantley, Reedham, Salhouse and Hoveton & Wroxham are all unstaffed or lightly staffed halts on the Wherry and Bittern lines, and none of them has commuter parking on a Norwich scale.

If your regular journey is to London, the honest answer for most of the district is either Postwick park and ride into Norwich, or driving to Norwich station. The branch stations work best if you can walk or cycle to them.

Where to check before you travel

  • one.network for live roadworks and closures on every road in Norfolk, filed by the authority doing the work.
  • National Highways for the A47, which is the only trunk road in the district and is not the county council’s responsibility.
  • Norfolk County Council public notices for temporary traffic orders, which is where closures are legally advertised before they happen.
  • Traintimes.org.uk for live rail times if the road plan falls through.

Frequently asked questions

Is the new A47 at Blofield open?

Yes. The 2.6-mile dual carriageway between Blofield and North Burlingham is fully open, two lanes each way at 70mph. Traffic moved onto the new road on 18 March 2026. Side works on local roads, cycle paths and landscaping continue, with overnight closures typically 8pm to 6am.

How long is the Broadland Northway?

12.4 miles, running from the A47 at Postwick round the north of Norwich to the A1067 Fakenham Road. It opened in April 2018 and is numbered the A1270.

Is the Broadland Northway closed for roadworks?

No. There is a rejuvenation and resurfacing programme with a temporary traffic order that runs to 20 February 2027, but that is a legal backstop date, not a closure period. Expect intermittent overnight lane closures rather than a shut road, and check one.network on the day.

How much is Norwich park and ride from Broadland?

At Airport Park and Ride it is £3 for an adult all day, £2 concession, £4 for two people and £5 for a group of up to five, and parking is free. Buses run up to every 14 minutes.

Which park and ride is best for Norwich station?

Postwick, on route PR3, which reaches Norwich Railway Station in 11 minutes. It also sits directly on the A47 and the Broadland Northway, so it is the easiest to reach from the eastern half of the district.

What time does the last park and ride bus leave Norwich?

From Castle Meadow, 20:14, seven days a week, on the Airport service. That is earlier than most people expect, so check it before planning an evening in the city.

Sources

Roadworks change constantly and temporary traffic orders carry long backstop dates by design. Always check live before you travel. Last checked 9 August 2026.