Drivers on the A46 and M40 in Warwickshire are to benefit from a £76.8m scheme to ease congestion.

The scheme will create a new 1.8-mile dual-carriageway to allow the A46 to bypass junction 15 of the M40.

Currently A46 traffic must pass through junction 15 leading to delays on both roads.

Transport minister, Tom Harris, said: "The A46 is a vital north-south route for the region, connecting Coventry with Stratford upon Avon and linking towns across Warwickshire to the M40, which in turn provides a vital link to the southeast.”

The improvement is expected to start in spring 2008 with construction expected to take around 30 months.