Connecting the Norwich Lanes

The Transport for Norwich partnership are proposing a series of projects, which aim to:

• Make it safer and easier to get around on foot or by bike
• Support outdoor hospitality and boost the local economy
• Improve air quality

A range of inter-connected schemes makes up the overall vision for the area and proposals include:

• A new riverside footbridge between Duke Street and St Georges Street
• Making the temporary measures to remove general traffic on St Benedicts Street and Exchange Street permanent
• A new cycle track and crossing facilities on St Andrews Street
• Creating a better environment for enjoying the St Giles Street area on foot

These are just some of the plans we put forward for consultation in July and August 2021. The feedback received on each of the project areas is currently being analysed and, where appropriate, the plans revised in response.

The points raised through the consultation will then be reported back to local councillors along with the final proposals for scheme delivery at the Transport for Norwich joint committee meeting in January 2022. This project web page will be kept up to date with the latest information, progress and relevant committee dates.

New city centre loading and access times

One element of the 2021 consultation was to make the temporary measures to remove general traffic on Exchange Street permanent.

Making the closure permanent had a good level of support but one of the points raised was whether an easing of the restriction for loading and access in the afternoon would be better for local businesses. With this in mind, we ran a follow up consultation in November 2021 to seek views on amending the access and loading times on Exchange Street and some of the surrounding city centre streets. The findings of these consultations were presented to the Transport for Norwich Joint Committee in January 2022 and committee members voted in favour for us to proceed with the proposals.

• The pedestrian and cycle zone on Exchange Street will be closed to motorised traffic between 10am and 4pm, seven days a week. It allows loading at all other times.
• Access and loading times on pedestrian and cycle zones on other city centre streets will also be amended to allow loading between the same times of 4pm to 10am
• Also in response to feedback, a restricted loop with a 3.5 tonne weight limit is being created to enable small van access for loading at all times via Lobster Lane, Bedford Street (From Exchange Street to Little London Street only) and Little London Street
• The flow of traffic on Upper Goat Lane is also being reversed to prevent vehicles bypassing the Exchange Street closure

Further visual representation of these changes can be viewed on the City centre loading and access arrangements map:

City centre loading and access arrangements map (PDF, 2 MB)

Minor amendments to the temporary measures that have been in place on St Benedicts Street can be viewed on the St Benedicts Street area webpage. 

To aid civil enforcement any required changes to signing and lining will take place in Summer 2022.

Background

The Department for Transport has awarded Norfolk County Council funding from the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) and the money is currently being invested in a series of sustainable transport infrastructure projects through the Transport for Norwich partnership.

This work includes the proposal to deliver a number of strategically related schemes as part of a programme, which we've called 'Connecting the Norwich Lanes'. This programme will bring the TCF-funded schemes together with those funded from a variety of other sources to allow a co-ordinated approach to consultation, design and delivery.