DRIVERS are warned of weekend road closures around junction 12 of the M56 in Runcorn to pave way for the Mersey Gateway.

A series of slip road closures and diversions will be in place throughout April to construct link roads to the new bridge.

The A557 Weston Point Expressway roundabout off junction 12 of the M56 is being re-modelled.

Major work is taking place in four phases across four different weekends.

The Merseylink team will also resurface the roundabout.

Highways England project manager Dave Dickinson said: “Although Mersey Gateway is on the local road network, its role in connecting the M62 and M56 is important and remodelling the roundabout at Weston Point Expressway is an important phase of the project.

“We appreciate people used to joining and leaving the eastbound M56 at junction 12 will be inconvenienced over the next month or so but good motorway diversions are in place and drivers should allow a little bit of extra time to use them.”

The northbound A557 between Clifton roundabout and the M56 junction 12 roundabout will be closed from 7.30pm on Friday, April 8 and 5am on Monday, April 11.

The eastbound on and off slip roads at junction 12 of the M56 and the eastern section of the junction 12 roundabout will be closed from 7.30pm on Friday, April 11 to 5am on Monday, April 18.

These closures will also be in place from Friday, April 22 to Monday, April 25.

The western section of the M56 junction 12 roundabout will be closed from 7.30pm on Friday, April 29 to 5am on Monday, May 2.

Hugh O’Connor, general manager with Merseylink, said: “I would like to highlight that there is good news - the major work in this area will be completed in June.

“However, we do need some closures and traffic management changes in the area to enable this target to be achieved.

“In the meantime, I’d like to ask drivers to continue to exercise patience and allow a bit of extra time or think about alternative routes if they plan to travel around or near junction 12 of the M56 at the weekend during April.”

Drivers are being urged to allow extra time to complete journeys and to check travel conditions before setting off.