Highways bosses have vowed to undertake "more robust repairs" on broken manholes along the A120.

Drivers faced long delays this morning when the eastbound carriageway at Bradwell was closed due to a broken manhole.

Emergency repairs were needed to fix the issue and saw traffic lights installed close to the BP petrol station for several hours.

Queues formed on both sides of the A120 between Braintree and Coggeshall and lasted throughout the morning.

Highways England say work was due to take place on the manhole in question tomorrow evening, but that was moved forward forward when the cover over the hole 'failed'.

A spokesman said: "We have had three cover failures since Sunday, January 5 which has resulted in works being required (including today’s).

"Although the method of repair is primarily for BT Openreach to decide, we have been meeting and working with them to discuss the materials used and method of repair to ascertain if a more robust repair could be provided.

"A repair using a different type of brick, sealant and fixing is now being used which it is considered going forward will provide a longer term repair than those carried out previously."

Highways England went on to state that traffic lights installed along the A120 earlier this month were for lighting repairs and were not connected to any problems with defective manholes.

An spokesman for Openreach said: “We had scheduled routine repairs on the manhole cover on the A120 near Bradwell for tonight but the cover unexpectedly collapsed this morning.

"Highways England immediately put a lane closure in place with associated traffic management to make the road safe.

"We attended the site and are currently working on the repairs.

"We expect this work to carry on through this evening and possibly tonight and hope to have everything back to normal by tomorrow.”

Were you stuck in the delays today? Contact bwt.news@newsquest.co.uk.