Plans revealed to reduce bus delays on Hardwick Road, King's Lynn

Norfolk County Council is inviting residents and road users to share their views on a proposed new bus lane along the A149, Hardwick Road, as part of its ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). 

The proposal would see the introduction of an inbound bus lane between the railway bridge and Horsley's Fields, a section of road currently plagued by congestion during peak hours. The aim is to significantly improve bus journey times and reliability by easing traffic delays between the A47 Hardwick Roundabout and Southgate's Roundabout. 

Councillor Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport said "We've done extensive traffic modelling and have found that this proposed bus lane could make a big difference to the current traffic 'pinch-points' around the area. It will  improve journey times and reliability of local bus services - something we know is important to people who want to choose the bus more often.  I encourage all residents to have their say by taking part in the consultation." 

Councillor Alexandra Kemp, local member for Clenchwarton and King's Lynn South said "I encourage residents to respond to this consultation, so we get this right.  A bold strategy is essential to decarbonise King's Lynn. With so many people coming into King's Lynn to work every day, the answer is: more people on buses, more buses on the roads, more buses at peak times, more economical fares and an area-by-area plan to incentivise bus travel, working with employers. Every new measure carefully stress-tested to reduce congestion."

People are encouraged to take part in the public consultation, open until 21 July 2025. If the scheme gets the go-ahead, construction is expected to begin in early 2026.  

To take part visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/hardwickroad.  

The improvements to Hardwick Road are currently estimated to cost around £360,000 to deliver and is part of Norfolk's BSIP which is backed by approximately £50 million in funding from the Department for Transport. The programme includes measures to modernise and expand bus services, introduce integrated travel hubs, and enhance infrastructure across the county. 

Bus passenger numbers across the county have increased by 9.7% over the last year (around 2.5m additional journeys) and through measures like this we hope to see even more people using public transport in the future. 

For more details on how we have improved bus services across Norfolk visit Travel Norfolk.