THE eastbound carriageway of the M27 will be completely closed for most of this weekend.

The motorway will be closed for 32 hours between junctions four and five between 9pm on Saturday March 9 and 5.30am on Monday March 11.

Motorists will be diverted onto the M3 up to junction 13 and then through Eastleigh, while the those heading south on the M3 will have to drive onto the A33, along Bassett Green Road and Stoneham Way and back onto the M27 at junction 5.

The Highways Agency said it was carrying out "re-profiling" – putting a camber on the road to allow surface water to drain away more efficiently - to reduce the likelihood of standing water on the carriageway.

It said the work would improve safety and was being done at a time when it would have the least impact on drivers.

Luke Bosdet, from the AA, said: “What they are doing is making the road safer and having just witnessed the wettest winter on record I think anybody who has had to deal with surface water over the last few months will understand why reducing surface water is an exceptionally good thing.

“When suddenly faced with a small lake in front of them on the road it makes drivers either try and avoid it or slow down, causing erratic driver behaviour, which is bad news for anybody behind them.”