The A11 has reopened after a weekend of chaos on the roads.
The A11 was shut between Thetford and Attleborough for resurfacing works on Saturday and Sunday. Highways England said it reopened on Monday.
Southbound traffic was diverted from Thickthorn junction via the A47/Norwich Southern Bypass and follow the A140, then the A1066 before rejoining the A11 at Thetford, while northbound traffic was asked to follow the same route in reverse.
The diversion added 20 minutes to journey times. But some people faced much longer delays, with long queues building up through Attleborough and some villages along the A11 corridor, as drivers tried to find alternative routes on the first weekend of lockdown easing.
Rhodri Oliver, county councillor for Attleborough, said the drive between Thetford and Attleborough took him 25 minutes longer than normal on Saturday.
"They didn't have regard for the details like it being the first weekend people have been able to to see their friends and family for months," he said. "The diversion you have to take off towards Snetterton is totally unfit for purpose to carry that amount of traffic."
Many took to social media to express their frustrations at the jams.
One driver posted: "A job that could of been done during the night in sections, or closed one side of the carriage way at a time."
Another added: "I find it difficult to believe that Highways England closed the A11 during the day for re-surfacing. That is ridiculous." One said despairingly: "It’s horrendous. There’s no way out."
Highways England expects work on the A11 to continue until the end of June, with overnight closures (8pm - 6am) between the A1075 roundabout at Thetford and Ellingham junction in Attleborough in both directions.
There will be overnight closures over the Bank Holiday weekend.
It says: "By ensuring we fully restore the road surface on this stretch of the A11, we'll increase the life expectancy of the road and make journeys safer for motorists."
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