It replaces the former railway Breydon Viaduct which was closed in 1953 and demolished by 1963.

Completed in 1985, an average of 31,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day.

[1] When built in 1985, the bridge was allocated the road number A12, which ran from London to Great Yarmouth via Lowestoft and Ipswich/A14.

In February 2017, the A12 was reallocated the number A47 as a Southern extension of the latter road.

This left the Breydon Bridge carrying the number A47 which continues to Lowestoft before terminating at the A12.