Norwich Road Schemes

Road schemes 00 [ Map ]

Ring Road:

It was in 1896 when a motor car first made its appearance in the streets of Norwich. The pioneer driver was Mt F.W.Fitt. By 1927 10,000 cars had been registered in the city and the traffic congestion was causing concern. One means of easing this problem was seen to be the formation of a “ring ” road to send the traffic around instead of through Norwich. It was considered the more practical since considerable portions of it were already in being, consisting of Martineau Lane to the south, Mile End Road and Colman Road (to North Farm Teahouse only) to the west, Farrow Road and Guardian Road, Sweet Briar Lane, Boundary Road, and Mousehold, Heartsease and Harvey Lanes.

Road schemes 01 [ Ring road Bracondale, Barrett Road ]

Road schemes 02 [ Ring road Barrett Road to Colman Road ]

The scheme of linking existing roads together into a circular route was commenced in the early 1920’s by extending Colman Road northward from Sabin Road (now the eastern end of South Park Avenue) to Earlham Road at a point immediately opposite Farrow Road. This followed the line of an established footpath across what were known as the “Three Fields”.

Road schemes 03 [ Ring road Colman Road, Farrow Road ]

Work was commenced on the new road between Bracondale and Newmarket Road towards the end of the 1920’s, a scheme designed with a view to relieving unemployment. At about the same time work was also taking place on that section of the road between Guardian Road and Sweet Briar Lane. This was commenced in 1930.

Road schemes 04 [ Ring road Farrow Road to Boundary Road ]

Until the construction of Chartwell Road, linking Mile Cross Lane, in 1962, the signposted route of the Ring Road was by Oak Lane, George Hill and School Lane. An alternative and less circuitous route was by Woodcock Road and Wall Road.

Road schemes 05 [ Ring road Woodcock Road to Sprowston Road ]

The year 1949 saw the widening (on its south side) of a small part of Mousehold Lane. From Sprowston Road to the Duke of Norfolk Public House (a distance of about one-eighth of a mile) the overall width was increased from 28 feet to 50 feet, the carriageway being widened from 19 feet to 30 feet. In 1963 the widening of Mousehold Lane was completed.

Road schemes 06 [ Ring road Mousehold Lane to Harvey Lane ]

Because of the railway, river and extensive industrial development, the south-eastern section had to take a devious route via Thorpe Road, Carrow Road, King Street and Bracondale.

Road schemes 07 [ Ring road Carrow Road to Bracondale ]

In 1964-65 work went ahead in replacing the bridge spanning the railway at Carrow Road (built 1892 by Josiah Westwood and Co). The need had long been felt for a wider structure, and one placed at as less acute angle to the traffic flow. At the same time its height was raised several feet to allow for future electrification of the railway. The “Thorpe Hamlet Stores”, at the junction of Carrow and Clarence Roads, was demolished to make space for the improvement.

Road schemes 08 [ Ring road Carrow Road railway bridge ]

Orford Place and Brigg Street:

The island site formerly occupied by Curls and other shops, largely destroyed during air raids in 1942, was originally earmarked for an open space in the City of Norwich Plan 1945. It was later considered to be too valuable for this, but the former street plan was altered to divert all road traffic via Brigg Street - Rampant Horse Street (which was widened); Orford Place being reduced in width to be used by pedestrians only.

Road schemes 09 [ Orford Place Brigg Street reconstruction: Site of Curls (Debenhams) 1953 ]

Road schemes 10 [ Orford Place Brigg Street reconstruction: 1954 from Red Lion Street, from St Stephen’s Plain]

Road schemes 11 [ Orford Place Brigg Street reconstruction: 1955 ]

St Stephen’s Street:

Ever since the end of the First World War the widening of St Stephen’s had been discussed by the City Council but agreement could never be reached on the question of which side should be set back. In the east side stood the mediaeval Boar’s Head Inn whilst on the west were two large departmental stores. In the end an air raid in 1942 solved one problem when the old thatched inn proved a vulnerable target. The City of Norwich Plan 1945 found the street then to have “few buildings of outstanding merit” and proposed that it be provided with dual carriageways and pavements 15 feet wide - the new buildings to be controlled in so far as materials, height and design were concerned.

Road schemes 12 [ St Stephens Street widening nos 1 to 7 ]

Road schemes 13 [ St Stephens Street widening nos 9 to 31 ]

Road schemes 14 [ St Stephens Street widening nos 25 to 43 ]

Road schemes 15 [ St Stephens Street widening nos 45 to 75 ]

Road schemes 16 [ St Stephens Street widening nos 2 to 12 ]

Road schemes 17 [ St Stephens Street widening nos 12 to 74 ]

St Stephen’s Street

Inner Link Road:

Road schemes 18 [ Inner link road St Giles’ Street, Grapes Hill ]

It was in 1931 that Robert Atkinson F.R.I.B.A., referring to the City Wall, said “in almost every position are slum dwellings put up during the last fifty years. It would be a great adventure to clear them all out and open up the road following the wall which has always been a natural highway. Do this, and you will have a wonderful circulating boulevard all round the city and its cost would be comparatively nothing.” It was not until after the Second World War that a start was made upon the construction of this “inner link” road, by which time the cost had risen considerably!

Road schemes 19 [ Inner link road Chapel Field Road ]

Road schemes 20 [ Inner link road Chapel Field Road, St Stephen’s Road, Bishop Bridge Road ]

In 1989 Norfolk County Council agreed to continue the development of the city’s Inner Link Road by adopting a line from Queens Road across Surrey Street and by a tunnel below Ber Street to Rouen Road. Thence by new bridges over the river and railway to Lower Clarence Road and Thorpe Road. This idea was later abandoned.

Road schemes 21 [ Inner link road plan Ber Street ]

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