FOLLOWING decades of slow progress, a completion date has been set for a bypass.

Work began on what was then known as the Thornaby bypass 30 years ago. Now, a completion date has been announced for the renamed South Stockton link road.

Government and road safety officials are urging drivers to exercise care and patience for what will be nearly two years of major roadworks involving the narrowing of lanes and the occasional closure of part of the A66 on Teesside.

The work will affect the A66 between the A135 Yarm Road interchange and the A1045 Thornaby Road interchange in both directions.

Narrow lanes will be in use and there will be off-peak lane closures and 12 overnight of the A66 in July and August.

One stage of the road was opened in April to provide a link between Ingleby Barwick and the edge of Stockton. The new work will take the road on from Concorde Way to the A66 and via an interchange to the centre of Stockton. Construction is due to start on Monday.

The Highways Agency, with the support of the Driving Standards Agency and the Department for Transport, is advising drivers to keep to the speed limit, get into the correct lane early and not to switch lanes. Drivers are also being asked to be alert for works traffic leaving or entering roadworks.

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said: "Drivers should remain vigilant at all times."

Officials are anxious to avoid not only crashes between drivers negotiating the roadworks, but also vehicles hitting roadworkers.

Latest figures show that 11 roadworkers were killed in the UK by traffic moving through roadworks between October 2000 and February 2002. This translates to a one in 1,000 chance of a worker being killed, the Government said.