A MOTORWAY in Hampshire will be shut this week for resurfacing work.

Two sections of the M271 will be closed overnight tomorrow and Friday for the work to take place.

Motorists travelling on the motorway, which is a major route into Southampton, can expect more closures later this summer when fresh works are carried out.

The Highways Agency says the work is needed to keep the road surface up to scratch and maintain safety levels.

The work that will take place this week will affect the section of the M271 north of the M27, up to the A3057 Romsey roundabout.

Between 10pm on Thursday and 5.30am on Friday morning the northbound carriageway from junction 3 of the M27 to the Romsey roundabout will be closed.

A diversion will be in place from junction 3 via Brownhill Way and Romsey Road up to the roundabout.

On Friday night work will be carried out on the southbound section of the motorway between the Romsey roundabout and the M27 between 10.30pm and 5.30am.

A diversion route will again be in place.

The Highways Agency’s Guy Watts said: “The work will help prevent further wear and tear to the highway and will ensure safety levels are maintained.

“The work requires the road to be closed but we have worked hard to minimise disruption to road users by only closing the carriageway in one direction at a time and during off-peak overnight hours.”

Further work is expected to take place later this month.

Resurfacing work on the northern carriageway of the M271 between junction 1 and the Redbridge roundabout was due to start yesterday, but was postponed.

Works on both carriageways between junction 3 of the M27 and the Redbridge roundabout was also due to start on August 14, but was also cancelled.

The agency is expected to announce a fresh date for the work to begin in the coming weeks.