Motorists face lengthy delays for five months from May when the work begins between Highnam and Over.

The authority has written to the Highways Agency asking if the work can be carried out during the night.

A Highways Agency spokesman said working overnight would mean the work lasting longer than five months.

Examination clash

The plan is to rebuild the road surface and drainage and install a bus lane going east in preparation for a new Gloucester park-and-ride service and to replace street lighting.

Deputy council leader Martin Quaile said: "It will obviously clash with examination times and some people are actually seriously thinking of putting their children into rented accommodation during that period, which is also stressful.

"It's going to affect small businesses. They're going to get tangled up in these traffic jams and lose a lot of time and gain a lot of stress out of it all."

Dave Sledge, Highways Agency project manager, said: "We do work at night when it is reasonably possible.

"In this instance, if we were just working at night, what is already a five-month period could stretch to well over a year."