A MAIN road into High Wycombe will be closed for six weeks as essential works for the Eden project and Sainsbury's store are carried out.

The eastbound carriageway of the A40 Oxford Road will be shut from Monday, (23), and drivers are warned to expect lengthy delays during peak periods.

Works include diverting the culvert which carries the River Wye under the town centre. Diversions will be set up via Bellfield Road, Parker Knoll Way and along the A4128 Archway during the closure.

Val Letheren, Bucking-hamshire County Council's cabinet member for transportation, said: "There is simply no way of avoiding carrying out this work, but we have done our level best to minimise disruption by scheduling it for the school summer holidays, when traffic is reduced by around 20 per cent.

"Added to this, officers have worked tirelessly to get all the utility companies on board, so they can get their essential works in place while the road is closed, effectively getting everything done in one hit.

"There's no denying that delays are inevitable and unavoidable, but I would ask the public to bear with us and remain patient during the six weeks this is likely to last."

Resurfacing work in John Hall Way, from the Holmers Farm Way junction to the Cressex Link road, will also start on Monday.

The repairs are expected to take five days and Holmers Farm Way will be closed daily between 9.30am and 3.30pm. A diversion will be in place via Crest Road and off-peak traffic lights will be in operation on the roundabout.