Rebecca Gough A rallying cry urging people to come together in support of the dualling of Norfolk's A11 has been launched by a prominent campaign group.

Rebecca Gough

A rallying cry urging people to come together in support of the dualling of Norfolk's A11 has been launched by a prominent campaign group.

Gateway A11 East has supported the need to complete the final stretch between Thetford and the Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills since it was established five years ago.

Its members paid for a report to be produced highlighting the benefits, which was submitted to the regional development agency, and have campaigned for the scheme to go ahead ever since.

Gateway A11 East will now produce a series of leaflets to be handed out in Thetford and along the All, along with a number of signs, directing people to their website.

People's viewpoints and comments will then be submitted to the secretary of state for transport, Philip Hammond, before the end of September.

Mike Brown, spokesman for the group, which is made up of a number of prominent businessmen and women, said: “I think the more pressure that's put on the government the better. We don't want people to think it's out of our hands and we genuinely believe the people of the county can make a difference.

“Now is the time to speak out as loudly as possible to let central government know this road is fundamental to the county.”

Mr Brown recently attended a meeting at Westminster between South West Norfolk MP Elizabeth Truss, West Suffolk MP Matthew Hancock, and Mr Hammond.

At the meeting it emerged the road scheme had an extremely high benefit to cost ratio of 20, meaning it is the highest of all the schemes the government is considering.

A public inquiry was held earlier this year and although there were hopes work might begin this summer, a final decision was put off and is now expected after the government's spending review in October.

People wishing to find out more and to contribute to the campaign should go to www.gatewayA11east.co.uk.