Skanska has been appointed by the UK’s National Highways to lead the upgrade of the A47 Thickthorn junction near Norwich, England, under a £153m ($204.87m) contract.
The project aims to ease congestion, boost road resilience, and facilitate economic growth in the region. The A47/A11 Thickthorn junction is said to be a critical interchange for commuter, business, and commercial traffic.
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The plans include constructing a new 1.6km free-flow link road connecting the A11 northbound to the A47 eastbound, featuring two new underpasses.
Additionally, a second local link road, approximately 1km long, will connect Cantley Lane South with Norwich Road (B1172). This will involve building a modular bridge over the existing A11 and the new link road.
The project will also include the construction of two new junctions on the local road network and the expansion of existing slip roads. Additionally, an older footbridge will be replaced with a new structure for pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders.
National Highways programme leader Alistair Stout said: “Improving the junction at Thickthorn is great news for local people and those who regularly work or travel in and around Norwich.
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By GlobalData“By investing in these upgrades, we’re helping to unlock economic growth in the area with reduced journey times, congestion and transport costs for businesses, as well as making the road safer for all users.”
Backed by over £200m in government funding, the A47 Thickthorn junction upgrade received approval from the UK government in February 2025.
Enabling works for the project have commenced, with main construction set to begin in the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. The scheme is expected to be operational by early 2028-29.
At its peak, the construction phase is projected to employ over 300 individuals.
The necessity for this development arises from anticipated local growth, including approximately 3,000 new residential dwellings and commercial business units near the junction. This growth is expected to increase congestion on the junction and its feeder roads.
By introducing two new free-flowing slip roads that guide traffic through underpasses and away from the junction, the project aims to significantly relieve congestion.
Skanska UK executive vice-president Andrew English said: “We have worked collaboratively with National Highways to develop the design and scheme budget to ensure it meets the overall cost envelope for the project.
“Our focus on cost, while ensuring we can deliver the full benefits of the scheme safely and on programme, has been key to our approach.”
Skanska is collaborating with design partner Sweco to construct five new structures and implement more than 3km of utility diversions as part of this scheme.
The construction and development company is also currently engaged in other infrastructure projects for National Highways.
These include improvements at M42 Junction 6, a new dual carriageway on A428, the A46 Newark bypass, and developing Kent roads as part of the Lower Thames Crossing.
