OVERNIGHT closures are planned for the A130 in the New Year.

The northbound carriageway of the A130 is set to close overnight on Wednesday, January 3 and Thursday, January 4 as works continue to open a third lane in both directions.

Temporary barriers will be put in place and a 50mph speed limit is expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future to protect the workers on the road.

Ian Grundy, county councillor responsible for highways, said: “I would like to thank drivers for their patience as we work to get the A130 third lane open as soon as possible in both directions.

“As someone who uses this road a lot, I know that it can be frustrating seeing an empty lane that is coned off.

“That is why my officers and I are working closely with CountyRoute to ensure we can safely open each third lane as soon as work has completed.”

The council has confirmed the works will be carried out at no extra cost to the tax payer.

An agreement was made between Essex County Council and CountyRoute, which maintains the A130 on behalf of the council.

Work is set to continue on the A130 going southbound.

The works are on course to be completed by the end of this winter, subject to any potential delays caused by severe weather conditions.

Essex County Council is expecting the work on the third lane of the A130 northbound to be completed by the summer of next year.