Motorists in Shrewsbury are being warned to brace themselves for more misery on the area’s roads when work gets under way on a £1.4 million road improvement programme at one of the county’s town’s busiest junctions.

Highways bosses today confirmed work on the scheme at Harlescott Crossroads will begin on April 12 and it will run for about four months taking place throughout the summer.

Hugh Dannatt, group manager for traffic and highways engineering at Shropshire Council, warned people to start planning alternative routes now as there are expected to be delays.

Council transport officials have previously unveiled plans for the new measures on the road where 14-year-old Ben Somers lost his life in October 2008, near to the crossroads.

The Harlescott Crossroads work will include resurfacing around the area, improvements to the left slip road, from Whitchurch Road to Harlescott Lane, and improved pedestrian facilities including a new crossing.

It will also see Harlescott Lane resurfaced, cycling and other pedestrian facilities and improvements to the Brixton Way roundabout.

Mr Dannatt said: “We are due to start work at Harlescott Crossroads on April 12 until the end of August.

“We are going to have to have closures and some will be overnight as we will be doing complete resurfacing there.

“It will be an idea for the public to start thinking about alternative routes now. We will give as much notice as we can,” he added.

Residents and traders have already complained about problems on the town’s roads because of roadworks.

Earlier this month motorists raised concerns that they were facing huge tailbacks at rush-hour because of the works at Berwick Road and Coton Hill.

The work is being carried out to replace a gas main and install traffic signals on the junction. It is due to be completed by the end of the month.

Mr Dannatt vowed the authority was doing all it could to keep roads clear.

He said: “We’ve been working very tight to get the disruption down.

“We’ve had to get things done because Harlescott Crossroads is coming on and we have to keep the other routes into the town free.

“The intention is to get to the stage where things are done and there will be just the Harlescott Crossroads work.”

Meanwhile, work is due to start on a new toucan crossing near Asda in Old Potts Way on March 22.

Work on the toucan crossing – which allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross a road together – is due to run until April 9.