Three months of frustration for motorists are set to get underway this weekend with lane closures on the A56 for safety improvement works.

Highways England said the major road near Accrington will be closed overnight on some Friday and Sunday nights with lane closures between 8pm and 5am, Monday to Friday, and 24 hours a day at weekends.

The works were due to start last November but were delayed as construction teams worked on other schemes.

They will now start on Saturday, January 9 and is expected to be completed in March.

Highways bosses said they are installing new safety steel barriers along a 2.5 mile stretch between the two roundabouts which link the A56 and the A680.

A pedestrian crossing which links Rising Bridge Road to the Hall Park housing estate is also being upgraded, and a new island will be created in the centre of the A56 to make it easier for residents to safely cross from one side to the other.

John Lyssejko, project manager at Highways England, said: “The new steel barriers and better pedestrian crossing we’re installing on this section of the A56 should help to improve safety for everyone who uses the route.

“The pedestrian crossing links two residential areas of Haslingden and we’ll be making changes to the layout, as well as creating a new island in the centre of the road, that will make it easier and safer to cross.

“We’ll need to have some lane and overnight closures in place while this work is carried out, but it will bring long-term benefits to the A56 when it is completed.”