DRIVERS will face at least five months of misery as a £4.7million upgrade of one of Southend’s worst junctions takes place.

Works will start to add four extra lanes to the junctions off the A127 Tesco roundabout at the end of October. They are scheduled to finish by the end of March.

Southend Council has promised no work will take place during peak morning and evening times, unless under “very exceptional circumstances”, but drivers will see delays during the day and at weekends.

There will be no lane closures during the early mornings, but the barricades will come out later, and drivers will be forced to slow to 30mph on the approach roads.

Andy Lewis, the council’s director for place, said: “This is a short period of pain for a long-term gain.”

Independent Martin Terry, councillor responsible for transport, said drivers should plan their journeys more care fully and even try and leave or start work earlier to avoid the disruption.

Mr Terry added: “I want to reassure Southend’s business community that the town will be open for business throughout the construction work.”

Mr Lewis said work would be carried out in the autumn and winter to protect the seafront summer trade.

Transport officials say drivers should notice very little while travelling at peak times, except for cones, constructors, and a 30mph speed limit.

There will be no road closures as a result of the work.

The roundabout will go from two to three lanes, except for the approach to the Tesco turnoff, which will widen to four lanes.

The authority insists the improvements will make it easier for the junction to handle traffic in the future, especially with a business park planned for land off the westbound track of the A127.

The scheme is mostly paid for by the Government, with £3.3million coming from Whitehall, and the rest coming from the authority’s coffers.

Transport officials insist work is only taking place now – as opposed to the end of the summer – as the cash was only awarded in December, leaving planners seven months to design the scheme and get a constructor in place.

Paul Mathieson, group manager for major projects, said: “We’re keeping our fingers crossed for good weather but we have contingency plans, including night works, if the project is delayed.”

  • TIMETABLE

SEPTEMBER: A contractor is appointed. Letters go out to residents on September 23

OCTOBER: Site clearance. Contractors set up their site and put out machinery. Work starts on October 27

NOVEMBER: Suspension of weekend lane closures to protect Christmas trade

DECEMBER: Work halted over Christmas

JANUARY: Weekend lane closures to resume from second week

MARCH: The main construction work is set to be completed

APRIL: Traffic light testing and tweaking done to cope with the traffic-flow. Contractors leave.