A £2.5M PROJECT - which gets underway this week - is aiming to ensure smoother journeys for drivers on the border of England and Wales.

National Highways is resurfacing sections of the A55 from the bridge over the River Dee just east of junction 38 to the Vicars Cross roundabout with the A51 at junction 40.

All the work will be done overnight between 8pm and 6am or 7am on Saturdays and Sundays and the work is due to be completed at the end of July.

Due to the size of heavy plant required for the resurfacing work regular overnight closures of either the eastbound or westbound carriageways will be in place and drivers are advised to check for information before setting out on journeys.

National Highways project manager Laura Lydiate said: “This is an important wear and tear project to ensure the A55 continues to provide safe, smooth and reliable journeys for drivers travelling between Chester and North Wales."

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She added: “We’ll be taking the opportunity during the overnight closures to do as much other work as possible including completing maintenance tasks such as drain cleaning.”

As well as resurfacing, the work involves renewing road markings, road studs, traffic count loops and bridge joints.

Resurfacing between junction 39 to just north of junction 40 – overnight on Friday July 19 and Monday and Tuesday July 22 and 23 - will require the A55 to be closed from junction 39 up to junction 12 of the M53 with a diversion using the A41 and A56.

Full closures of the eastbound or westbound carriageways between junction 38 and junction 40 will require a longer diversion agreed with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wrexham Council and the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency - with eastbound drivers using the southbound A483, eastbound A5156 and A534 and then northbound A41 up to junction 40.

Westbound drivers leaving the A55 at junction 40 will need to use the southbound A41, westbound A534 and A5156 and northbound A483 up to junction 38.

The current programme of overnight closures, which is subject to change due to weather conditions, includes A55 westbound junction 40 to junction 38 closures on the following dates:

• Thursday 23 May, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday May 28, 29, 30 and 31.

• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday June 5, 6 and 7.

• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday June 12, 13 and 14 

• Saturday and Sunday July 6 and 7.

A55 eastbound junction 38 to junction 40 closures will be in place overnight on the following dates:

• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday July 3, 4 and 5.

• Ten nights from Monday July 8  to Thursday July 18.

• Wednesday, Thursday and Friday July 24, 25 and 26.

There will also be some junction 39 to junction 40 eastbound or westbound carriageway closures which will use a straightforward diversion using the parallel A41.

Westbound Junction 40 to junction 39 closures will be taking place on Monday and Tuesday June 3 and 4; Monday and Tuesday June 10 and 11 and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday June 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21.

Eastbound junction 39 to junction 40 closures will be taking on Friday June 28 and Monday and Tuesday July 1 and 2.

The eastbound exit slip road at junction 39 will be closed overnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday June 24, 25, 26, and 27.