Motorists have been warned they face disruption with nine weeks of diversions through Accrington town centre.

King Street will be closed to through traffic and Edgar Street and School Street will be partly closed for road improvement works around the new £6.4 million bus station site.

Lancashire County Council (LCC) has apologised for any inconvenience caused, but said the closures are needed to allow upgrades to nearby traffic lights and public areas.

The works will begin on Monday, September 28 and the road closures will run until November. Public notices are already in place in the area warning drivers about the plans.

Highways bosses said the improvements include upgrading the traffic lights at the Blackburn Road/King Street junction as well as a number of more minor works to reshape the pavements and kerbs and ‘make the area look smarter’.

Andrew Varley, public transport manager for Lancashire County Council, said: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience while the work around the new bus station site takes place, but the closures are needed to allow upgrades to the nearby traffic lights and public areas as part of the overall scheme.

“We’ll be maintaining access to businesses throughout the work.

“The new Accrington bus station is a key part of the Pennine Reach scheme, which will transform the quality of public transport facilities, and support economic growth by making it easier for people to travel quickly and reliably throughout East Lancashire.”

Access to and from the car parking area under the railway viaduct and the McDonalds/cinema car park will be maintained via King Street, but the road will be closed to through traffic.

LCC has also warned that part way through the scheme the routes to access the car parks will need be changed to allow works to continue, however these changes will be ‘clearly signed on site in advance’.

Diversion routes will be put in place between Blackburn Road and the King Street roundabout via Hyndburn Road and Oxford Street.

Two-way temporary traffic lights will also be installed on Blackburn Road when required in order to control traffic and to allow for the permanent traffic signals at the junction with King Street to be upgraded as part of the Pennine Reach scheme.