One of Cheltenham's busiest roads will be closed for 13 nights from Thursday next week to allow for resurfacing works.

Gloucester Road - one of the main access routes to Cheltenham Spa Railway Station from the town centre will be closed from 7pm until 7am from Thursday, July 25 to Tuesday, August 13.

The area affected is from the junction with the High Street and Tewkesbury Road, through to Vineyards Lane, opposite the housing estate on the old Sharpe and Fisher site.

It will mean there is no access to and from Gloucester Road from Arle Road, Millbrook Street, Honeybourne Way, Allstone Lane, St George's Road and Malvern Road.

The works will not take place during weekends, but weekday commuters using Cheltenham Spa station are being asked to allow extra time to get to the station.

Resident parking zones 12 and 14 on Gloucester Road will be affected by the closure.

The roadside or footway parking bays will be suspended between 5pm and 8am each day during the closure period and vehicles may be towed if they are in the closure area during these times.

There is guidance of alternative places to park on the Gloucestershire County Council website.

The improvement works is the first of a number of improvement works scheduled to take place in Cheltenham over the course of the summer.

Other roads set for resurfacing include Princess Elizabeth Way at Coronation Square and sections if the A46 along Bath Road and Berkeley Street.

Concillor Vernon Smith, cabinet member for highways at Gloucestershire County Council said: "This is the first of a few schemes in the programme designed to improve Cheltenham's key roads.

"We hope this investment will help make journeys around the town centre a bit smoother for both drivers and cyclists."

Cllr Chris Coleman, local county councillor for St Mark's and St Peter's said: "I am pleased Gloucester Road is receiving the attention it desperately needs.

"It's important to go on improving roads in the area and I will continue to push for this.

"While the work is ongoing I would encourage residents to park away from the site to avoid any delays to the work."

Although the surfacing work won't run the full length of Gloucester Road to the mini-roundabout by the station, the road will only be open to Vineyards Lane for access.

A diversion route will be signed from the station, taking vehicles down the B4633 Gloucester Road and towards the A40 Gloucester Road towards Princess Elizabeth Way, Kingsditch and Tewkesbury Road.

Keep up to date with resurfacing information by following @GlosRoads on Twitter, or checking the council's road surfacing webpage .