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M27 closure: Motorists face 55-mile diversion

News imagePeter Facey Romsey Road Bridge over M27Peter Facey
Romsey Road Bridge will be replaced during the works which will not be completed until 2020

Drivers face a diversion of up to 55 miles during the weekend closure of a motorway in Hampshire.

The M27 will shut between junction 3, for the M271, and junction 4, for the M3, from 22:00 BST for works on Romsey Road Bridge.

Highways England has warned of delays with long-distance drivers, travelling westbound, facing the longest diversion.

It is not due to reopen until 05:00 on Monday.

Local emergency services have warned of the closure, with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service describing it as the "biggest traffic diversion ever in the country".

Southampton City Council tweeted: "We expect this to cause significant delays to journeys in and around Southampton."

News imageHighways England M27 diversion routes mapHighways England
Motorists face diversions of up to 55 miles westbound

John Henderson, of Highways England, said: "The 55-mile diversion route is only for long-distance traffic, heading in a westbound direction.

"We have to be aware that there's 140,000 vehicles a day use the M27 and you can't put 140,000 onto local roads, they just simply weren't designed for that."

Romsey Road Bridge carries the A3057 Romsey Road, which also faces the same weekend closure, over the M27 and was built in the 1970s.

Highways England said it was "nearing the end of its life".

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"Due to failings of the bridge bearings, this bridge is unable to move as originally designed," it added.

"Developing cracks have also been observed in most of the pre-stressed concrete beams at their ends."

Further weekend closures are schedules next year between 26-29 April and 18-21 October.

The project, which began in the spring, is expected to end in January 2020.

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