Motorists are being warned of significant disruption over the next two weekends as the A46 will be shut for HS2 works.

The dual carriageway will be closed in both directions all the way from Coventry to Thickthorn on the edge of Kenilworth this February.

The A46 will be shut from 8pm on Friday 7 February to 6am on Monday 10 February, then again from 8pm on Friday 14 February until 6am on Monday 17 February.

As previously reported by Nub News, traffic lights will be in place on the Thickthorn roundabout, and St John's Roundabout in Kenilworth to try and reduce the impact of traffic.

Residents in Kenilworth are still likely to see disruption as more traffic is set to head through the town.

The diversion for local traffic is via the Bericote roundabout, along the A445 to Ryton-on-Dunsmore and then onto the A45 via the A423. But there are fears motorists will try to cut through Kenilworth to get to Coventry.

The diversion route for local traffic (image via HS2)

The official diversion in place for HGV's will take vehicles all the way around the edge of Coventry, onto the M6, M42 and then M40.

The official diversion route for the A46 closures this February (image via HS2)

Following the weekend closures, a 50mph speed limit will stay in place in both directions.

A single lane will also be closed on the northbound carriageway and narrow lanes will be in place on the southbound carriageway.

These will be in place until early April 2025.

The weekend closures will come before the major three-week closure, still forecast for spring 2025. Full dates for this will be published in the new year.

The major closure will see a section of the carriageway removed, a new bridge slid into place and the road rebuilt over it. The bridge will allow the HS2 line to pass under the road.

The closures in February are for changes to the 'vehicle restraint system', central reservations and some "advance works on the cross-carriageway drainage".

"To complete these works safely we will install temporary full weekend closures of the A46," HS2 said.

"To ensure the safety of our workforce, we will be closing a section of the A46 between Festival Island (Coventry) and Thickthorn Island (Kenilworth) over the weekends."