Drivers are being warned of more hold-ups this summer as a stretch of one of Wolverhampton’s busiest commuter routes undergoes major roadworks.

Restrictions will be in place along Penn Road until nearly the end of the school holidays as the city council works on repairing the worn-out central reservation between Pinfold Lane and Hollybush Lane.

The work, which started yesterday, will run affect traffic travelling in both directions.

The outside lanes will be closed to cars coming in and out of the city between 9.30am and 3.30pm while the work takes place.

Motorists using Penn Road face delays during the school break, but today bosses said efforts have been made to minimise the disruption.

Councillor Paddy Bradley, who represents Penn and is the cabinet member for regeneration, today appealed to drivers to be patient and said the project was vital.

“I do apologise to the public but this is work that has got to be done,” she said.

“The retaining wall needs work on it and if it came down, we’d be in trouble. I have been briefed on the work and I have asked that we be sensitive about it because we are talking about a very busy road.

“It will start late and finish early, and I have also been told that there will be weekend working to get it finished as quickly as possible to minimise the disruption.

“The last time we had roadworks on Penn Road the delays were horrendous, so we have had meetings about this and are playing it straight.”

Penn Road is one of the most congested routes into Wolverhampton, with thousand of commuters from South Staffordshire and north Worcestershire using it to reach the city.

In November 2006 an inbound lane was closed for a month between Pinfold Lane and Hollybush Lane for six hours a day so the carriageway could be widened.