Work on a £25 million scheme to try to cut congestion at a busy junction of the M1 in Leicestershire is set to start next week.
County Hall says it is to embark on work at Junction 23 near Loughborough and Shepshed, where traffic regularly get snarled up at peak times.
Leicestershire County Council engineers will be removing trees and vegetation around junction with the A512, Ashby Road East.
The council has not said how many trees will be felled but it will be completed in around six weeks.
The council says during the works an ecologist will be on site at all times to limit the impact the works have on wildlife.
Cabinet member for environment and transport Blake Pain said: “This is a major investment that will unlock future development, boost the local economy and reduce congestion.
“We will work hard to reduce the disruption to people using these busy routes while we are carrying out the scheme and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
A second phase of work – which will involve junction improvements along the A512 including M1 junction 23 to handle the predicted future development – is due to get under way in the summer.
The junction is already busy but a further 3,200 homes, offices and factories are to be built on land near Garendon Park between Loughborough and Shepshed so major highways upgrades are required.
The Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) is also expanding putting extra pressure on the roads network
Traffic and travel - what you need to know
Public drop-in events will be held next month for people to find out more about the works scheduled as part of the scheme.
The information drop-in events will take place from 1pm to 7pm on the following:
Tuesday, 2 July at Shepshed Town Council, Charnwood Road, Shepshed, Loughborough, LE12 9QE.
Wednesday, 3 July at Loughborough University, Room WAV.0.37, Wavy Top Building, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU.
