A KEY route through Brighouse town centre is to close overnight next month for just over a fortnight to allow essential maintenance to be carried out.

Calderdale Council is to carry out work on the busy A641 Huddersfield Road, between Aire Street and The Calder pub, and there are overnight closures in place to allow the work to be carried out safely.

The work is due to start on Wednesday, March 8, and involves the planing and resurfacing of the carriageway surface. It is due to be complete by Thursday, March 23.

The move has prompted fears from Brighouse ward councillor Colin Peel, who told the Telegraph & Argus he was concerned that other nearby roadworks which involve 24-hour road closures could overlap with the resurfacing works and cause problems for motorists and residents alike.

Part of Gooder Lane in the town is currently closed daily while a gas main is replaced and is expected to be completed shortly before the A641 works begin.

But if they overrun, said Cllr Peel, the two closures could coincide and create further problems for motorists who already struggle to navigate the town's busy routes.

Cllr Peel (Con) said: "There are another set of roadworks near Aire Street as you go up to Rastrick Common and that section has already been closed completely for at least a week.

"People get round Brighouse as best they can, but should these roadworks overlap it would make things very difficult."

He added that at the moment traffic was getting snarled up in the morning and evenings coming down into Brighouse and residents in the Healey Wood area were already concerned about rat-running. These overnight closures could mean more traffic is pushed onto routes likes these, he added.

During the resurfacing works in order to ensure the safety of road users and those carrying out the work, it will be necessary to close the road to traffic from 10pm to 5.30am, Monday to Friday nights for the duration of the works.

Access for emergency vehicles and pedestrians will be maintained at all times.

Buses and through traffic will be diverted via the A644 Wakefield Road and A62 Cooper Bridge Road to Bradley Bar roundabout on the A6107 Bradley Road. During the diversion times there will be no bus service between Bradley Bar and Sainsbury's, Brighouse.

The Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, Councillor Barry Collins, said: “This is a very busy stretch of road, particularly at peak times.

"The resurfacing work will improve the quality of the surface and ensure it is fit for purpose for years to come.

“To limit disruption as much as possible we’ve scheduled the work to take place overnight, ensuring the road is open for the morning and evening rush hour.”