TROUBLESOME traffic lights at a busy Benfleet road will be gone by the end of the week as the £4million renovation of Benfleet Railway Bridge is set to finish.

Restrictions have been in place on Ferry Road since the start of January due to the road being flooded and ongoing repairs being carried out to the bridge as part of investment from Network Rail.

The lights have caused misery for motorists who have been forced to endure long tailbacks along Ferry Road, High Road, and Essex Way between 9:30am and 3:30pm.

Representatives from Essex County Council held a meeting with contractors this week who said they were set to be finished by Saturday.

County councillor Ray Howard said: “We were told the work is expected to last another four days, but the contractors assured us the work would be completed sooner if possible.

“I have had so many people contact me who are understandably frustrated by the work and closure to the road there. But it was a very positive meeting and hopefully by the end of the week there will be an end to the inconvenience residents have had to suffer recently.”

Ferry Road is one of only two routes linking Canvey to the mainland.

The news has been welcomed by residents and drivers who regularly travel through the underpass.

Paul Iliffe, 55, of St Mary’s Drive, Benfleet, said: “I am extremely pleased to hear this. It’s been an absolute nightmare for weeks. I came back from Basildon the other day and made the mistake of going that way home and was queuing for ages to get home.
“It is extremely disappointing we were never made aware the road would be closed for this long and how much of an inconvenience this work would pose on us. I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”