Work begins on multimillion-pound dual carriageway

The project will create a dual carriageway between the A1 near Wansford and the rest of the A47

Work is under way on a multimillion-pound scheme to create a dual carriageway between the A1 and the A47.

Archaeologists have begun working at a site close to the A47 at Wansford near Peterborough.

Highways bosses hope the project will help to ease a traffic "pinch point".

It could cost up to £100m and take two years to complete.

The new stretch of dual carriageway largely follows the existing A47 near Wansford, crossing to the north and running parallel to the existing A47.

There will also be a dedicated slip road from the A1 southbound to the A47 eastbound to alleviate congestion at the junction.

Programme manager Chris Griffin said it would make journeys safer

National Highways said it hoped to make journeys more reliable and safer for all road users, while increasing the overall capacity of the A47.

Programme manager Chris Griffin said: "It is a real pinch point for traffic and it is also a very dangerous section of road.

"It will help provide a safe section of road that will link up the A1 with the rest of the A47."

Archaeologists have begun working on a site at the side of the A47

The dualling near Peterborough is part of a wider scheme to upgrade other sections of the A47, but projects near to Norwich are yet to go-ahead because of legal action.

Highways officials said the work near Wansford would help the road network cope with accidents and breakdowns.

They said it would also help with road maintenance and extreme weather and provide a safer route for walking, cycling and horse riding.