MOTORISTS could face more delays when part of the A13 is closed for major roadworks at weekends.

A stretch of the busy trunk road in Stanford-le-Hope will be closed for the next two weekends as work progresses to widen carriageways and slip roads to take extra traffic created by the DP World superport.

The diversions will be in force between 8pm on Friday, August 9 and 5am on Monday, August 12, and then again the following weekend.

It means motorists will be steered off the A13 at The Manorway, across the roundabout and back down to the A13 via the junction’s “on” slip road. The main carriageways will run as normal during the week.

Drivers have already suffered long delays during previous weekend closures.

In December last year, motorists endured five hours of delays when a crane nearly crashed on to the A13 from a bridge above the Manorway junction.

Drivers who need to get from the A13 to North Hill Road, Horndon-on-the-Hill, will face even bigger problems as, from Monday, they will be sent on a ten-mile diversion via the A127, just to get into the lane.

Susan Milner, who lives off Victoria Avenue, Stanford-le-Hope, said: “I have horses down North Hill Road and will have to go all the way round twice a day for two weeks. I’m a single mum. Who is going to take up the cost of extra petrol?

“Also if there is an emergency at the stables and the horses need help, it is going to take me a lot longer to get to them. I am a carer in Horndon as well. It’s a joke.”

The ten-mile diversion will divert traffic for North Hill Road via the Orsett Cock roundabout, along the A128 – along Brentwood Road, the Bulphan bypass and Tilbury Road to the A127.

From there, it will be sent east and back off on the B148, leading to Lower Dunton Road from where it can head for North Hill Road.