A major project to replace flood defence walls will see one lane of a busy road closed for nine months.

The work, organised by the Environment Agency (EA), will see the refurbishment of 40 flood defence walls in Great Yarmouth.

It is scheduled to begin in January and continue until September.

One section of the wall marked for maintenance is on Bollard Quay, where the job will involve replacing the existing concrete wall adjacent to Southtown Road.

That will mean the stretch from Boundary Road to William Adams Way will operate as a one way system with southbound traffic travelling on the northbound carriageway.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: A map showing the lane closure on, and diversion from, Southtown Road during January to September 2020 for flood defence wall works. Picture: Environment Agency.A map showing the lane closure on, and diversion from, Southtown Road during January to September 2020 for flood defence wall works. Picture: Environment Agency. (Image: Archant)

Northbound traffic will need to follow a diversion route along the A47/Pasteur Road.

Chris Speed, operations director for First Bus in Great Yarmouth, said: "The closure shouldn't effect the buses too much due to where it is and only being one direction."

Buses to Gorleston will run normally, while services running the other way, into Great Yarmouth, will divert via the roundabout, Suffolk Road and Boundary Road back to Southtown Road.

Stops near Waveney Road will be closed.

A spokesperson from the Environment Agency said: "Access to businesses and properties will remain open at all times.

"While some disruption during the works is unavoidable we will always try and reduce the impact to the local community. We apologise for any inconvenience that these works may cause."

The work will cover approximately four kilometres in a number of locations around the town.

At Bollard Quay it will involve demolishing and removing the existing concrete wall and constructing a new flood wall using pre-cast concrete sections.

Working hours on the site will be Monday to Friday 7.30am-7.30pm and Saturday 7.30am-2pm.

The EA maintains over 10 kilometres of flood defences along the banks of the Rivers Yare and Bure.

The flood defences are mainly concrete and steel walls formed by an extension of the piled quay face with some set back concrete walls.

A significant issue is the poor condition of the steel sheet piled quay that supports the flood defence.