A BUSY road is to be closed for five days next week while major roadworks take place.

Browney Lane, in Durham, will close at midnight on Sunday and will not reopen to traffic until 7pm on Friday (July 10) while resurfacing work takes place.

The road links the A167 at Sunderland Bridge with the A690 at Meadowfield and is used by more than 5,000 vehicles every day, including many workers on Meadowfield Industrial Estate.

Drivers are being warned to expect delays in the area during the closure.

The temporary closure is part of work to build a new roundabout to replace the T-junction of the A167 and Browney Lane, near the Honest Lawyer pub.

A report to Durham County Council says there have been 12 accidents at the junction in the last five years involving vehicles turning right onto the busy A167 and crossing the path of oncoming traffic.

The first phase of a £1.8m project to improve safety and cut traffic queues by replacing the junction with a roundabout began in October, but the latest stage involves the closure of Browney Lane.

Diversions will be in place during the closure and the A167 will remain open to traffic throughout. Emergency vehicles will be able to access Browney Lane and there will be an access-only arrangement for local residents.

Temporary traffic lights will also be in place at the junction between 7.30am and 6pm tomorrow (Sat, July 4) while work is carried out on the carriageway.

The council says it expected the new roundabout to be fully open to traffic in time for the Durham Miners’ Gala on Saturday, July 11 – just 24 hours before work starts on the city’s next major roadworks scheme which will see Milburngate Bridge reduced to one lane in each direction for seven weeks.

John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said: “We would like to thank residents for their continued patience during this essential scheme to improve both safety and traffic flow at this busy junction.

“The project is progressing well and will be complete before the start of the next major scheme taking place at Milburngate Bridge.”

The project was given the go-ahead after the council’s transport plan identified that around 20,000 vehicles use the A167 every day and more than 5,200 vehicles use Browney Lane.

As well as reducing delays and improving safety, the council believes that the scheme will also make it easier to get in and out of the nearby Meadowfield Industrial Estate, which will encourage more businesses to set up there.