A section of the Mountain Road will close tomorrow evening (Thursday, May 1) for emergency resurfacing works, the Department of Infrastructure has announced.

The southern stretch of the A18 between Creg-ny-Baa and the Bungalow will be shut from 6pm on Thursday and is expected to remain closed until no later than 6pm on Friday, May 2.

The closure is required to carry out urgent repairs after bituminous material was accidentally spilt onto the carriageway earlier this week.

Initial attempts to plane off the hardened material between Brandywell and the Bungalow were unsuccessful.

Following a re-inspection, senior engineers determined that a 210-metre section of the Ramsey-bound lane, between Brandywell and Hailwood’s Rise, must now be fully planed out and resurfaced.

Road markings and studs along the affected stretch will also need to be removed and reinstated as part of the works.

The DoI says every effort will be made to reopen the road late Friday afternoon ahead of the evening commuter period, but this cannot be guaranteed.

To facilitate the emergency work, resurfacing on the A5 New Castletown Road at Santon will be suspended, with the team redeployed to the Mountain Road.

Temporary traffic lights at Santon will be stood down, although a reduced speed limit will remain in place due to the unfinished road surface.