THE main road to Colchester General Hospital and the Colchester walk-in centre will be closed as workmen try to stop it from sinking.

The work on Turner Road, Colchester, will take place over three consecutive weekends, starting on Saturday, July 28.

However, access will be allowed to the hospital and walk-in centre and for residents who live in Turner Road.

Anne Turrell, Essex county councillor for Mile End and Highwoods, urged people to avoid the road unless necessary.

She added: “We have been waiting for this for a long time because certain areas of Turner Road keeping sinking and they need to investigate more to find out why it keeps happening.

“The problem is underneath the road surface so the carriageway keeps breaking up and sinking.”

Mrs Turrell (Lib Dem), said recently three large potholes had to be repaired which had been caused by the problem under the road surface.

She added Turner Road was often used by motorists as a cut-through from Mill Road to the Turner Rise area.

“My message is, if you do not need to use the road, use the Northern Approach Road or an alternative route.”

Jan Ingle, speaking on behalf of the hospital and neighbouring walk-in centre, said: “Obviously these are essential roadworks and we will be working closely with our colleagues at Essex County Council to minimise any disruption to people using the hospital and indeed the wider healthcare campus at Turner Road.

“We ask everyone to allow a little extra time but most of this work is being carried out at times to minimise inconvenience. We completely appreciate this work does need to be done and we also know how busy the road can be so ask everyone to bear with us.”

An Essex County Council spokeswoman said: “Engineers will drill small trial holes and extract cores to test the state of the deeper layers of Turner Road.

“This will establish the best way to repair the road to prevent the continuing potholes caused by problems believed to be under the surface.

“The road will be closed in sections as the work moves, so that when the closure is south of the hospital, access will be available from the north, and vice versa.

“Closures will be weekends only with works likely 8am to 5pm but 24 hour closures to allow concrete to set.”

Last November, a section of Turner Road was closed following road surface damage from a burst water main.

Temporary traffic lights were installed in a bid to control congestion going into the hospital.