Works stop for shoppers

WORK on the Silverlink roadworks will shut down for more than two weeks over Christmas and New Year. But the current traffic system will stay in place over the festive period.

Construction crews will stop for Christmas at the site on Friday. It will not reopen again until Monday, January 8.

This is to help anyone hunting a late present or a Boxing Day bargain at the Silverlink Shopping Park.

Highways England assistant project manager, Steven Cox, said: “There will be no disruption to traffic or shoppers during that time. Traffic management will still be in place but there will be no lane or carriageway closures.

“We do liaise closely with the Silverlink Retail Park and local businesses and we are obviously aware they need to attract shoppers at that period.”

The extensive project to build a three-tier junction at the meeting of the A19 and the A1058 Coast Road is expected to be finished by March 2019.

Mr Cox said work on the massive project – which began in 2016 – is “on track” heading into the New Year.

After the festive break, the task will be to dig out the central trough for the A19 to pass through.

The new-look roundabout aims to reduce journey times, cut congestion and improve safety at one of the busiest junctions in the region. The project will cost close to £75m in total.