The transport minister said the only option was to close the road

The section between Brandywell Road and the Creg-ny-Baa back road will be shut from 6 March until the end of April.

Ramsey MHKs Allan Bell and Anne Craine have criticised the decision and have suggested it should be opened during peak hours for commuters.

But Phil Braidwood said the closure was essential for worker safety.

�200,000 cost

"We had looked at all the possibilities. I asked the same questions to the officers in the Department [of Transport].

"Would it be possible to have traffic lights? Would it be possible to keep the road open to get peak-time traffic through?

"The whole point was the safety of the workmen up at Windy Corner."

Mr Braidwood said the decision followed discussions with police and Health and Safety officers.

"The recommendation was to close the road because the road is going to have to be used as a compound for the materials and the machinery up there," he said.

"If you have got trenches across the road there is no way that you could have allowed traffic coming through."

Windy Corner is to be widened and the curve smoothed out in the project, which is expected to cost about �200,000.