A STRETCH of the A13 will be shut in both directions for the weekend from 9pm tonight.

The closure will be in place between the A128 junction Orsett Cock roundabout and the A1014 junction, at Stanford-le-Hope, with a diversion via the A1013 Stanford Road.

It will be shut from 9pm tonight to 5am on Monday.

It is part of a £79million A13 widening project.

But motorists feel there must be another way to do it.

Maureen King, 75, of Leigh, said: “I don’t see how it can be a good idea to do this.

“It will cause so much traffic chaos and is not a good idea.

“We’ve already endured months of endless queues and disruption.

“It is just unacceptable and it seems there’s now not enough money to finish the project.

“The road is vital to the south of the county but this is becoming the endless project.”

Mark Willoughby, 43, of Basildon, said: “I bet most people will change their weekend plans over these works.

“I do not see how and why it will work or be beneficial at all.

“It’s just going to force traffic onto the A127 and M25 and grind the county a halt.

“It should only be partly shut to allow some traffic to use the road.

“I know the works need to be done and hope it’ll help us all but there should be more planning.”

Geoff Cox, 44, of Thorpe Bay, said: “We need to see more advertising of this.

“I found out by word of mouth but it feels like there is not enough to tell people.

“It would be annoying if people found out on the day.”

Last month the Echo revealed a council update on work taking place between Stanford-le-Hope and the Orsett Cock roundabout revealed the scheme has been plagued with problems.

These include public safety issues linked to bridge designs to inaccurate land studies that needed to be repeated.

Despite work having started in March 2019, a report explained the designs were too expensive and a review had to take place to “identify alternative design and construction options”.

New designs were drawn up within budget.

The council says the project could finish by August 2021 more than a year later than was planned.

Thurrock Council was contacted for comment.