IT has been confirmed work to upgrade the A127 Kent Elms junction will now not be complete until next summer.

Work on the London-bound carriageway had initially been scheduled to finish by late spring this year, alongside the completion of Southend-bound works.

However, severe delays by National Grid Gas diverting underground gas pipes saw the programme rescheduled to be finished by Christmas.

Now further delays by Openreach – formerly BT Openreach – in diverting their underground cables during the summer – made worse by an upcoming six-week standstill on Openreach works from December 1 means that the council’s highways contractors will not be able to gain access to the highway to complete their work until late February 2018.

This means that, although much of the overall project has been completed, the junction upgrade in its entirety may not be completed until June next year.

Southend Council says until work is properly resumed “only very minimal lane closures will be in operation”.

Tony Cox, councillor responsible for transport, waste and regulatory services, said: “This is extremely disappointing news for local residents, businesses and anyone who regularly travels into and out of Southend. As a local resident and commuter myself, I share in that frustration.”

Mr Cox added: “Southend Council’s highways team has a strong track record in delivery, with all previous A127 junction upgrades, including Cuckoo Corner, Progress Road and Tesco Roundabout – as well as the major project to develop City Beach – all completing on or before schedule.

“The Kent Elms junction, however, has proved the most challenging and problematic yet, because of the complex network of underground pipes and cables that need to be successively moved from under the surface and the limited land available.”

Mr Cox said he was in discussions with Openreach to discuss what will be done to speed up the work. The remainder of the highways work will be co-ordinated with the work that needs to take place to build a replacement footbridge and its foundations.

Kent-based NuSteel have produced the designs for the footbridge, and are now devising a delivery programme that would see the construction of the footbridge alongside the completion of the highways work.

A crossing patrol will be maintained for schoolchildren until the new footbridge is open.