CONTRACTORS are finding ways to minimize traffic during five months of road closures.

The Ipswich Road and Harwich Road improvement scheme in Colchester has been underway since September.

The carriageway widening and creation of single roundabouts in each Road is due to take place, but some road closures have been announced ahead of the works.

From June 24 until July 20 Ipswich Road South, near East Street, will be closed to enable Anglian Water to complete a water main diversion and re-connection. It involves trenching about 12 meters across Ipswich Road.

As soon as that is finished, both BT works and re-building the retaining wall along the rail line can start.

The road improvements involve carriageway widening and making single instead of multi-roundabouts. To do this at the Ipswich Road junction, the retaining wall supporting the road above the railway line must be moved back and strengthened.

A major piling and wall-building operation will be carried out, meaning Ipswich Road South will be closed again from July 20 until November 30.

Contractor Eurovia said on Essex County Council's website it was coming up with solutions to ease traffic.

The report said: "We appreciate the length of time needed for the Ipswich Road closure is substantial but it is also essential for these works to be

carried out safely and in a timely manner.

"We are currently looking at various options to try to minimize this period of closure and perhaps open the road again one way.

"This will of course be subject to the programmed schedule of works and also if we deem it viable to accommodate this."