Anyone thinking of making a trip to Stroud next weekend had better beware that the A46 will be closed to all traffic on Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4.

Highways crews from Gloucestershire County Council will be laying surface dressing on the stretch of the road between Brockworth and Painswick- with closures running from 7am to 7pm.

Carrying out the work over the weekend will minimise disruption for commuters and the work has to be carried out during daylight hours as warm, dry conditions are needed for surface dressing.

The stretch of road was given an overhaul back in April with crews patching large clusters of potholes and carriageway damage in preparation for the surface dressing.

Patching is a more intensive repair than simply filling in potholes, with crews cutting around an uneven section and replacing with a large piece of flat tarmac.

Now, crews are returning with specialist surface dressing kit to seal the surface, extending its life and restoring grip to 50,750 square metres of carriageway.

Surface dressing only takes place on roads in good overall condition and is often used to extend the life of the highway, protecting the road against frost and water damage.

Cllr Vernon Smith, cabinet member for highways at Gloucestershire County Council, said that the council appreciate that the weekend closure was "inconvenient."

"However, surface dressing is a cos-efficient way to spend the £150 million investment we have made into the county's roads.

"Please plan your journeys around this work; we will try to give local businesses and properties access when it is safe to do so."

A diversion route will be in place, with vehicles from the south taking the A4173, A38 and A417 to get to Brockworth and vice versa from the north.