Hatton roadworks lasting 11 months starting after opposition

A protest against plans for 11 months of roadworks was held in October

Eleven months of roadworks, opposed by people fearing they will cause gridlock, are starting next to a new housing estate.

A 150m (500ft) stretch of the A4177 Birmingham Road will be widened to support the Union View development in Hatton on the outskirts of Warwick.

A pedestrian crossing point will be added and improvements to footways and cycleways are planned.

Disruption would be kept to a minimum, Warwickshire County Council said.

The work includes upgraded drainage and street lighting.

Protester Elaine Kemp said there was concern over "the amount of traffic that uses this road on a daily basis".

She said it was "a main arterial road" between the M40 and M42 and people would use it "as a shortcut if accidents are on the motorways".

A 150m stretch of road will be widened to support the Union View development

The council has said traffic management would be in operation throughout the scheme and operated manually during working hours "to maintain the flow of traffic in the area".

Work on the highway will pause for about two weeks over the Christmas and New Year holiday period, from 22 December until 2 January.

A council spokesperson has said the authority would be doing all it could "to ensure the work is carried out as smoothly and quickly as possible, with minimal disruption".

Developer Taylor Wimpey previously said the works were necessary to provide safe access to the new estate and apologised for any inconvenience caused.