Drivers are set for eight months of delays along a major Walsall road when work to create a controversial new red route gets under way in a fortnight.

Work to paint double red lines – alongside a separate project to replace a faulty water pipe – will begin on the A454 Wolverhampton Road between the town’s ring road and junction 10 of the M6 on July 5.

The measures, which prevent stopping along the route and are designed to combat congestion, join existing schemes in the borough on Broadway North and A34 Birmingham Road.

Nineteen new off-road parking spaces will be created through the scheme, while a revamp of junctions will take place, as will resurfacing and improvements to Bentley Drive car park.

And Councillor Tom Ansell, cabinet member for transport, said cameras would be placed along the route to catch motorists using the bus lane.

“We’re confident that these changes will bring huge benefits. As you can appreciate, it’s a major project but we’ll make every effort to minimise disruption.”

Previous red-route schemes have attracted criticism from businesses that they harm trade. Rebecca Fitzpatrick, from the Greedy Pig cafe , in Wolverhampton Road, said: ” If it’s going to be hard to stop here during the road works, it will affect the business.”