A traffic ban will be in force this Sunday, when Ipswich come to pay us a visit.

Roads around the ground will be closed to traffic for set times before and after games to allow safe access to pedestrians.

Previously the Club paid for policing to close the roads but this ended when relegated to Division One and the roads remained open to traffic on our return to the Championship.

There have been numerous altercations between car drivers and football fans in the recent past, especially when one party would not give way to the other.

Most at risk were children and the elderly and infirm. Around the ground there is just one pedestrian refuge and two pedestrian crossings that are passable in the normal sequence of traffic light controlled junctions.

It was just a matter of time before serious injury resulted as tempers frayed at such congested times.

Several supporters have written to the Club about this matter, and the Disabled Supporters Working Group would make mention of the difficulties encountered whenever they met.

As a consequence, the club wrote to Norfolk City Council who made a by-law enforcing the road closures.

In future Carrow Road will be closed from its junction with Koblenz Avenue to its junction with Kerrison Road, between 1.30pm and 5.20pm, and from its junction with King Street to its junction with Clarence Road, between 4.50pm and 5.20pm, on Saturday match days.

Other nearby streets will also be closed at certain times to accommodate the more than 26,000 Norwich City fans who leave the ground on foot on match days.

Clearly, these times will be adjusted proportionally to accommodate fixtures that are due to take place on days and times other than Saturday afternoons at 3pm.

Norwich City Council spokesman Amy Lyall said today: “The number of fans leaving the ground creates significant hold-ups for traffic, and can be dangerous as pedestrians and cars try to navigate Carrow Road at the same time. This order will allow the road to be closed while fans leave the club. We anticipate it will usually take about 15-20 minutes after a match for the road to clear and then it will be reopened, but we are able to close for longer if necessary. As it will be easier for pedestrians to clear the area quickly, we anticipate this closure will mean waiting times for drivers will be shorter than in the current circumstances at the end of a match.”

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