Hethersett morale suffering as five roads worked on at once

But no one in Hethersett seems to be going anywhere very fast.

Villagers say they are beset with chronic roadworks with FIVE major projects ongoing, three less than a mile apart.

Hethersett has seen many road closures and restrictions in recent memory (Image: Newsquest)

They claim that the work is causing them to be late for appointments and disrupting businesses.

Peter Steward, who runs the village's magazine, said: "For a number of years our village has been plagued by a never-ending series of roadworks and temporary traffic lights.

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"This has made moving around at times very difficult and has been branded as unacceptable by residents.

Peter Steward has spoken out about the disruption (Image: Peter Steward)

"The roadworks have made people late for appointments, made it difficult for local businesses and made the village at times look more like a building site."

BUSINESSES AFFECTED

Teams from Norfolk County Council, Nexfibre and Openreach are carrying out operations to bring a new internet connection to the area but recent work has also included tree lopping, road resurfacing and utility maintenance.

PACT charity shop is seeing trade hit by the roadworks (Image: Newsquest)

Dan Wickes, 43, manager at PACT charity shop, said: "With two of the three main ways into the road closed and another with lights, it's affected our trade for several weeks.

"We've seen significantly less footfall and takings have been down.

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"And being in the shop you hear people talking and morale seems really low, everyone's quite miserable."

"It just seems like there's a lot at once."

A bus passes barriers in Mill Road (Image: Newsquest)

Staff at Hodge Podge, a gift shop in Oak Square, said it often felt like a "trek" just to get from one side of the village to another which is barely more than a mile long. 

And amid the slew of recent closures, public transport services are frequently held up at pinch points created by the traffic lights, with large lorries battling to navigate tight chicanes where barriers line the roads.

‘IT’S NECESSARY’

Just a few miles outside of the city, Hethersett is one of the fastest-growing communities in the region where hundreds of new homes are being built.

Butcher Sean said the works in Hethersett were a necessary evil (Image: Newsquest)

For some, the roadworks and disruptions are necessary to ensure the village has the infrastructure to cope with its growth.

Sean at The Hethersett Butchers said: "To me, I feel it's entirely necessary and it doesn't bother me whatsoever.

"I can imagine it's frustrating for people but they seem to be getting work done as quickly as they can and then moving on to another area.

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"We're better off with the internet than without it."

Officials at Hethersett Parish Council have also defended the roadworks.

Penny Hubble, a clerk at the council, said: "We have received numerous comments that it seems every main road through Hethersett has temporary traffic lights and it is asked if any coordination is taking place.

"The four-week closure of Back Lane for the much-needed zebra crossing compounds the situation.

"Concerns have also been raised about the pending four-month closure of Colney Lane."

From Monday, Hethersett Lane will be closed until October 21 for carriageway improvements and the extension of a cycle lane to the John Innes Research Park in Norwich.

Further work in Great Melton Road (Image: Newsquest)

A planned upgrade to the B1172 junction is also pending.

Penny added: "We ask residents to be patient and plan for longer journey times. These delays are temporary and are bringing improvements to Hethersett."