A453 commuters are often stuck near Ratcliffe Power Station

On Sunday, engineers start four months of work on the A453 - from Nottingham to the M1/A42, running until November.

There will be six weekend closures, which should not clash with major sporting or music events with the first set for 9 and 10 July.

The improvements include replacing parapets and repairing a bridge carrying the A453 over a railway line.

The road will have a 40mph limit throughout and the Highways Agency has predicted "considerable delays".

There will also be repairs to a nearby bridge over the River Soar.

It also includes concrete repairs to the rail bridge below road level.

The scheme has been designed to keep two-way traffic most of the time, with temporary barriers in place and a 24-hour lower speed limit along narrower lanes.

And there will be occasional overnight working with temporary two-way traffic signals.

There are long-term plans to make the A453 a dual-carriageway from junction 24 near Nottingham East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire, past Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and Clifton to the edge of Nottingham.