THE A985 will be closed in both directions between Kincardine Bridge and Cairneyhill roundabout for four nights next week.

Work on improving the road surface will take place between 7.30pm and 6am from Monday to Thursday (December 7-10), with work finishing early on Friday morning.

The scheme is being conducted by Transport Scotland's operating company BEAR Scotland which is planning to renew approximately 0.95km of the trunk road.

A diversion route suitable for trunk road traffic will be signposted between Clackmannanshire Bridge and Cairneyhill Roundabout via the A876 and the A977, adding an estimated 18 minutes and 8.5 miles to affected journeys.

Local access will be maintained during the works, with road users escorted through the site when it is safe to do so. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times.

Strict physical distancing protocols, in line with Scottish Government guidance, are in place to protect teams and ensure they remain safe on site.

Consultation has been carried out with emergency services and relevant stakeholders to share information about the project in advance.

Tommy Deans, BEAR Scotland’s South East Network Manager, said: “These surfacing improvements will significantly improve safety and ride quality for motorists on this section of the A985.

“Road closures are essential to ensure the safety of workers and road users, however we’ve planned the works to take place overnight to minimise disruption and will do all we can to complete the project as quickly as possible.

“We thank motorists in advance for their patience and encourage them to plan ahead by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up to date travel information.”

Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org