Four months of roadworks are set to start on the M5 in the new year, causing further misery.

Overnight lane closures and speed restrictions will be at junction 1 for West Bromwich from January 10.

Work being carried out is aimed at improving the carriageway, including better safety barriers.

It follows months of works on the M6 to bring the hard shoulder into use.

This has involved junction closures and speed restrictions, causing lengthy diversions and long delays for drivers.

Under the new plans a 1,640ft stretch of the northbound carriageway of the motorway from Stone Road under bridge towards the M6 will have a 50mph speed limit introduced, as well as northbound lane closures.

There will also be restriction on wide loads travelling on the carriageway during the work.

All work will be carried out overnight from 10pm- 6am, starting on January 10 and ending in mid-May.

Nathan Wallis of the Highways Agency said: “The main work is to instal new signs to improve drivers understanding.

“New signs will advise road users of lane specific information, warn of queues, and give advance warning of a bend in the road.

“We will also be installing a series of reflectors to the safety barriers on the central reservation to improve safety on this part of the road.”