Highways England is due to begin work on a major reconstruction project covering the stretch of the A590 in Cumbria.

The work includesa £7 million carriageway re-construction and resurfacing of the whole dual carriageway section between Brettargh Holt and the M6.

Maintenance work at the motorway roundabout including resurfacing work and the completion of new bridge joints.

A contraflow will be installed along the dual carriageway to ensure a lane will be running around the clock in each direction while the main works are under way.

The scheme forms part of an £8 million spend this financial year along the entire route, which will make possible a number of additional renewal projects.

Significant delays are expected as a result of the planned works – with the A590 being a the only trunk road connecting Furness to the M6 motorway.

Steve Mason, Senior Project Manager for Highways England, said: “This is a vital £7 million project to totally reconstruct and then resurface the dual carriageway between the motorway and Brettargh Holt junction to keep it in good condition for years to come.

“This is the kind of work we only do once every twenty years or more and while there will be some disruption to drivers’ journeys at times, the main work will be done with a contraflow system in place on the dual carriageway – ensuring we can keep a lane open in both directions around the clock. We’ll also be trying to recycle most of the material we remove from the existing carriageway.

“About 43,000 tonnes of the 60,000 tonnes of asphalt we need will recycled through a special plant we’re building on site which will be good for the environment as well as reducing lorry movements to and from the site.”