But no sooner than traffic is expected to return to normal on Nene Parkway and the A1 next week, the diggers will be moving in to tear up another main road in the city.

Two weeks of drainage works are getting under way next Monday (6 October) on a section of the London Road south of Fletton, meaning more snarl-ups are virtually guaranteed.

The scheme is the latest stage of the growing Hempsted housing development, and will involve diverting A15 traffic in both directions with temporary traffic lights.

Building firm O&H Hampton had applied to begin the works earlier, but was vetoed by Peterborough City Council because of other schemes affecting traffic in the city.

It has now been given the go-ahead, however, with the contraflow on the A1 at Carpenter's Lodge, near Stamford, set to end tomorrow and bridge works on the A1260 Nene Parkway due for completion at the end of next week.

The city council's cabinet member with responsibility for roads Wayne Fitzgerald said: "We have deliberately delayed the start of these works because of the other operations affecting traffic in the city.

"This is evidence that the council clearly does think about the impact of roadworks on road users.

"Motorists may have to put up with further delays, but the London Road works are an essential part of this important new housing development."

The London Road works are part of developing plans to build 675 homes on land to the west of the A15 and north of the A1139 Fletton Parkway.

The building scheme began last summer and by autumn next year, 200 social rented and shared ownership properties are expected to be ready for occupation.

From October 13, diversions will be in place between St Margaret's Road, Fletton, and Hicks Lane, with traffic re-routed along a new road in the Hempsted estate.

Once the drainage works have been completed, O&H Hampton says further temporary disruptions are likely on the route until January 2009.

A spokesman said: "We apologise for any delays or inconvenience that these temporary traffic measures may cause and request that all road users negotiate the diversions with care."