MOTORISTS are being warned they face six months of delays and diversions due to repair works on the A120. 

Week night road closures will be in place between the Crown Interchange and Little Bentley roundabout.

National Highways will carry out specialist repairs and maintenance to improve the current concrete road surface from 21 October 2024 until March 2025.

Eastbound and westbound road closures will be put in place so workers can complete the maintenance in safety.

To minimise disruption, work will be carried out between 8pm and 6am on week nights when there is less traffic on the road.

The stretch of road is about 9km in length.

Eastbound work is scheduled to take place from October 21 to December 2024 and westbound work will take place from January 2025 to March 2025.

Karl Brooks, of National Highways, said: “The surface of concrete roads, designed between the 1950s and 1970s, are now reaching the stage where they will need to be repaired for safety reasons.

"We apologise for any short-term disruption this may cause locally, but it’s essential we carry out this work to ensure a safer and smoother ride on the A120 in the longer term.”

During the closure a signed diversion route will be in place.

The eastbound diversion will take traffic south on the A12, exiting at Junction 26, and returning north on the A12 to exit at Junction 27.

Motorists will then join the A133 towards Elmstead Market. At the traffic lights they will turn left on to Bromley Road/Harwich Road and join the A120 at Little Bentley Roundabout.

The westbound diversion will direct drivers to exit Little Bentley roundabout on to Harwich Road/Bromley Road towards Elmstead Market.

They will then follow the A133 through Colchester to Spring Lane roundabout before taking the entry slip road to join the A12 southbound at Junction 27.

Drivers wishing to travel north towards Ipswich and the A14 will continue south on the A12 to exit at junction 26, rejoining the A12 northbound to continue their journey.

Members of the National Highways project team will be at Elmstead Community Centre's Main Hall, in School Road, on October 11 from 1pm to 7pm to discuss any queries about the work.