DRIVERS will have to follow a 4-mile diversion around Bracknell to bypass a small stretch of roadworks from today.

Road repairs due to take place on the A322 Bagshot Road could cause huge delays to drivers, with the diversion route expected to take 15 minutes to follow.

Construction works by Bracknell Forest Council will take place on the leisure centre roundabout from Monday, July 5 and will last about 14 weeks.

During the works, there will be lane closures on the roundabout and its approaches to make sure it is safe for the public and workforce.

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Barriers to separate the works area from traffic will be set up overnight on Wednesday, July 7. There will be lane closures on the roundabout to carry out this work from 8pm.

After the first 3 weeks, the scale of temporary traffic management will reduce and A322 traffic flow should improve for the rest of works.

The Council's highways department believes the project will bring 'significant improvements to one of the main highway corridors in the Thames Valley Berkshire.'

Their website says: "It will help with traffic flow and reduce congestion between the M4 (junctions 8, 9 and 10) and M3 junction 3 and between Maidenhead, Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Bagshot and beyond.

"This junction on the A322 experiences congestion which presents challenges for both northbound and southbound traffic movements, while also acting as a constraint to growth within Bracknell Forest and the wider region."

A spokesman from Bracknell Forest Council said: "We appreciate that this work will cause delays and so to ease traffic flow on this route we will be sign-posting an alternative route for through traffic between the Coral Reef junction and the Twin Bridges junction along the upgraded A3095."