Concerns raised about Acle Straight again as crash injures seven people

The accident scene on the A47 Acle Straight between a lorry and three cars and a trailer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY Copyright: Archant 2015

Investigations will continue today to try to determine the cause of an accident on the Acle Straight which left two people severely injured and five others needing treatment.

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The accident scene on the A47 Acle Straight between a lorry and three cars and a trailer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY The accident scene on the A47 Acle Straight between a lorry and three cars and a trailer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY

The crash, on the Acle side of the Halvergate junction, occurred on Friday evening and involved three cars and an Argos lorry.

A 70-year-old man was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, with serious head and arm injuries, while the driver of the lorry, which overturned into a ditch, was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with a serious leg injury.

The accident has once again raised concerns over the safety of the eight- mile stretch of road and led to further calls for it to be dualled.

Brian Iles, county councillor for Acle, said: “We have been trying for several years now to get the road dualled but we keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list. We have offered to pay for preliminary work to be carried out so that when the major work does eventually happen there will be no delays.

The accident scene on the A47 Acle Straight between a lorry and three cars and a trailer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY The accident scene on the A47 Acle Straight between a lorry and three cars and a trailer. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY

“It is a very dangerous road and something needs to be done because lives are at risk. We continue to work hard and our case must surely get stronger and stronger after each accident, and we will keep on pushing until something is done to make the road safe.”

The issue of proposed safety improvements on the route has been one of the region’s longest-running sagas. The A47 Alliance – a coalition of business leaders and local councils – have been campaigning to get the stretch dualled.

A lack of government funding has, thus far, hampered progress, with the Acle Straight not initially included in the plans to revamp the A47.

The five other people involved in Friday’s crash suffered minor injuries, with four of them being taken to James Paget University Hospital, in Gorleston, for further treatment.

It is thought the Argos lorry was travelling towards Great Yarmouth whilst the three cars, a Saab, with a trailer, a BMW and a Chevrolet were heading in the opposite direction. The area was covered in debris from the vehicles and the Chevrolet also overturned and went into a ditch.

•Anyone with information about the crash can call Norfolk police on 101.

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