Highways England in the UK has started work on a £1.7m project to resurface the main road to the Port of Liverpool.

Work will include, resurfacing a two and a half mile stretch of the A5036 from the junction with the M57 and the M58, known as Switch Island, to the junction with Hawthorne Road.

The project will see contractors carry out resurface work on an area of road covering nearly 60,000m², which is equivalent to the size of eight football pitches.

Contractors will also install nearly 1,300 new reflective road studs and repaint road markings.

"We’ll be using a low-noise, high-friction surface to provide smoother and quieter journeys."

In order to minimise disruption to drivers, all work will be carried out overnight and signed diversions will be in place when short stretches of the road are closed.

Highways England project manager Philip Deller said: "Anyone who regularly travels on the A5036 will know it’s in need of resurfacing, with thousands of vehicles using it every day on their way to the port.

"A 2.5-mile stretch of road is being resurfaced to remove potholes, and we’ll be using a low-noise, high-friction surface to provide smoother and quieter journeys.

"Drivers will be able to continue to use the road as normal during the day and we’ll have diversions in place when parts of the road are closed overnight."

According to Highways England, the first phase of the resurfacing project will affect the westbound side of the A5036 between Switch Island and Park Lane.

In October, contractors will begin work on the stretch of road between Park Lane and Hawthorne Road, with the project scheduled for completion by February 2016.

Earlier this year, Highways England had completed a £3.4m project to tackle congestion on the A5036 by creating a new westbound lane through the centre of the roundabout at the junction with Bridge Road, near Seaforth and Litherland train station.