Heavy traffic could hit town centre for months as first steps of improvement plan for busy Northampton road get underway

The junction of St Edmund's Street and Wellingborough Road could be badly congested over the coming months.

Northamptonshire County Council is beginning the first stages of the 'Cliftonville corridor' plan to improve traffic flow from Wellingborough Road down to the A428.

The first steps of the plan include widening the carriageway on St Edmund's Road to create two northbound lanes between October 28 and November 9.

This will include closing St Edmund's Street between November 4 and November 9.

But soon after this, starting on November 25, temporary traffic lights will be installed on the junction of Wellingborough Road and St Edmund's Street for over three weeks.

Road crews plan to reconstruct the carriageway island and crossing points on Wellingborough Road.

The 'corridor' of Wellingborough Road, St Edmund's Road and Cliftonville Road is one of the busiest routes for commuters in the town because it leads to the A428 and is frequently used by ambulances attending NGH's A&E.

It is expected that the upcoming roadworks leading up to December will cause heavy congestion around the junction and throughout the town as a result.

The works come as part of the £2.5m 'Cliftonville corridor' improvements plan, which includes creating additional lanes along the corridor and simplifying turns at junctions.

The scheme overview on the county council's highways website reads: "At peak times the corridor experiences congestion and traffic regularly queues back from Cliftonville Road along Bedford Road as far as the Barnes Meadow Interchange.

"The scheme will reduce traffic congestion and the volume of traffic on the inner ring road, enhance air quality and make it easier to access Northampton General Hospital."