Highways bosses have apologised to people in Colchester who will be affected by a major road closure this month.

Residents living along Cymbeline Way, Cowdray Avenue and Ipswich Road are facing a weekend of disruption as traffic is diverted past their homes.

Work is due to begin on January 25 to place a temporary crossing over the A12 so strengthening work can be done on a bridge between Braiswick and West Bergholt.

The Highways Agency announced earlier this week the A12 would be shut between 10pm on January 25 to 5am on January 27 for the work to be completed.

It will be shut to traffic from the A133 Spring Lane interchange in the west of Colchester to the A120 Crown interchange in the north-east.

During the closure, motorists will be diverted through Colchester along Cymbeline Way, Cowdray Avenue and Ipswich Road.

The agency has said the work is necessary to avoid disruption during the bridge strengthening but has said sorry to residents living along the diversion route.

Project manager Brian Pitkin said: "We are carrying out the work over a weekend when traffic flows are at their lowest to minimise disruption.

"However, I must apologise to people living in Colchester on the diversion route who will have extra traffic going past their properties."

Published Friday, January 17, 2003

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