PLANS to remove street lighting from a stretch of the A47 in West Norfolk have been put on hold for at least 18 months. The Highways Agency announced in October that it planned to remove street lighting between Tilney All Saints and King's Lynn.

PLANS to remove street lighting from a stretch of the A47 in West Norfolk have been put on hold for at least 18 months.

The Highways Agency announced in October that it planned to remove street lighting from the stretch between the Shoreboat roundabout at Tilney All Saints and the Pullover roundabout at King’s Lynn.

The A47 Alliance – made up of agencies such as Norfolk County Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, chambers of commerce and the East of England Regional Assembly – teamed up with north west Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham to oppose the plans.

However, the A47 Alliance was told at its latest meeting that the Highways Agency has “reviewed its decision to remove the lighting from the length of the A47 between the Shoreboat and Pullover roundabouts”.

The agency now intends to carry out minor improvements to the stretch of road, before further reviewing the need for lighting in at least 18 months time.

Upwell councillor Vivienne Spikings, vice-chairman of the A47 Alliance said at the meeting she was pleased the Highways Agency had “listened to the arguments put to them and would await with interest the findings of the next review of lighting”.

The lights along the stretch are around 40 years old and reaching the end of their serviceable life.

An assessment carried out last year by the Highways Agency found the number of accidents during darkness hours along the stretch was “considerably less than would be expected for a location with street lighting”.