Official opening of Rugby Western Relief Road

A relief road has been fully opened, after drivers began using its southern section for the first time in June.

The Rugby Western Relief Road has taken longer than anticipated to build owing to unforeseen circumstances, Warwickshire County Council has said.

An official opening took place on Friday after the entire four-mile (6km) road was completed.

The north section of the A4071 relief road has been opened to traffic ahead of the revised October target date.

Council officials said extra housing and industrial development, particularly in the west and north of the town, had led to extra traffic in an out of the town.

The road, which was built by Carillion, was funded by the county council, the Department for Transport and developers.