A series of overnight closures will take place on a key route into Liverpool from next week, as the latest phase of the city's major highway improvement project gets underway.

The final phase of the Edge Lane West improvement programme began in August 2010 and is scheduled to be completed in spring 2012. Works have now progressed to the point where overnight closures are necessary to complete the surfacing of the new carriageways.

The first of these overnight closures starts on Monday 10th October for seven nights, until 16th October, and will be between Innovation Boulevard and Durning Road inbound to the city centre.

The closure will take place from 7pm each evening until 6am the following morning. During the closure the diversion route will be via Innovation Boulevard and Wavertree Road.

Associated with these works, Durning Road and Holt Road will be closed at their junction with Edge Lane over the nights of the 15 and 16 October, again between 7pm and 6am. Durning Road traffic will be routed via Wavertree Road and Marmaduke Street, whilst Holt Road traffic will be routed via Kensington and Prescot Road.

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Surfacing work is also taking place at Jubilee Road, meaning it will be closed at its junction with Edge Lane from 7am on Saturday 8th October until 6pm on Sunday 9 October. During this closure, traffic will be routed onto the new road, Belltower Lane, which runs between Jubilee Road and the eastbound carriageway of Edge Lane.

Further overnight closures will be necessary as the works progress, and these will be advertised in advance. All of the diversion routes will be clearly signed for drivers.

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, said: "I'm delighted that this latest part of the Edge Lane scheme is now ready to get underway, reflecting the fantastic progress that is being made.

"These vital works will bring about huge improvements to Edge Lane and will benefit motorists for many years to come. They will create a long-term solution to congestion and create a safer and more attractive route into Liverpool.

"Any project of this scale will inevitably bring with it delays, and we do apologise to motorists for that. We have timed the work to reduce the impact on the travelling public as much as possible, and we hope they will appreciate that some short-term pain is necessary to achieve the massive, long-term gains this work will bring."

The Edge Lane West scheme forms part of the £350 million Edge Lane Project to regenerate the corridor and improve the strategic link between the M62 and the city centre.

The final phase of the scheme is being undertaken between Botanic Place and Hall Lane, and will complete the link of the city centre with the M62 at the Rocket junction via a modern dual two-lane carriageway throughout the length of the Edge Lane.

(CD)