DIVERSIONS are being put in place while work to ease congestion in Durham City gets underway.

Durham County Council is to widen the exit road from Gilesgate roundabout leading to Claypath, where the tight turn is causing some coaches and larger vehicles, especially those driven by motorists not familiar with the road layout, to have to stop.

This causes disruption for traffic using the roundabout and reduces the benefits of the traffic lights installed there by the council last year.

The new wider exit road will ensure coaches and larger vehicles are less likely to have to stop, improving traffic flow and reducing the likelihood of delays and congestion.

The work, starting today, will last for two weeks and drivers will be diverted via Leazes Road with traffic exiting the city still able to use Claypath as normal.

Adrian White, the council’s head of transport and contract services, said: “These schemes are part of our ongoing commitment to keep the county’s roads as safe and in as good a condition as possible for all who use them.

“We have planned both these schemes to keep disruption to a minimum, arranging them for the school summer holidays when the roads are quieter and carrying out the resurfacing overnight.

“We’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while the works are completed.”

Arriva bus 64 and Go NorthEast services 204, 208 and 265 city bound will run via Leazes Road.

The Go NorthEast services will stop as normal at Hild/Bede college and Millburngate bridge, while the Arriva 64 will stop at Millburngate bridge.

A short section of the city bound footpath from Gilesgate roundabout onto Claypath will be closed during the work with signs informing people of alternative routes.

Meanwhile, overnight resurfacing work is to be carried out on the A689 west of the Bradbury A1 (M) interchange.

Work will begin at 8pm tonight until 6am tomorrow, with this repeated the next three nights.

Diversions will be in place for traffic from the eastern side of the closure while the work is taking place.

Motorists should take the A1(M) northbound from junction 60 to 61 (Bowburn/Durham South) and then head south on the A688 and A167, where they can rejoin the A689.

Motorway restricted traffic should take the A689 easterly to Sands Hall roundabout at Sedgefield, and then the A177 northwards to the A1(M) at Bowburn, thereafter taking the A688 and A167 south.