A MOTORIST has hit out at the overnight A31 restrictions, calling on the Highways Agency to finish overnight work earlier and use better signage.

Christchurch resident Brian Westwood regularly travels to London using the A31, joining it from Ringwood on the A338.

However, due to ongoing overnight works to install new signage on the dual carriageway, the road has been shut between 10pm and 6pm in different sections for the past few weeks.

Mr Westwood, who has written to the Highways Agency responsible for the work, says there was “traffic chaos” in the area on Tuesday morning and described the signage as “atrocious”.

He told the Daily Echo that due to the lack of signs over the closure of the Ringwood junction, lots of vehicles including HGVs were ‘driving round in all directions’ trying to get onto the A31 around 5am – an hour before it re-opened.

In the end he said people were driving round the Ashley Heath roundabout in disbelief while others started to queue.

“I got onto the A338 to come back to Christchurch and then got onto the A35 to Lyndhurst”, he added.

“But the queue was so massive. Drivers were making the single lane carriageway into a dual carriageway, forcing their way back into the queue when they saw headlights of oncoming cars.

“There was also work near Lyndhurst. It was not well co-ordinated at all.

“It’s a miracle there were no accidents.”

He added: “The road closure goes on for too long in the morning. It should be re-opened earlier – 5am at the latest for the volume of the traffic that uses the road during the week.

“The signs aren’t outside the areas which will be closed and the painted ones are badly written.”

A spokesperson for the Highways Agency said: “The work we’re doing on the A31 will improve safety by giving drivers clear, accurate information about the road ahead.

“We’re working hard to keep disruption to an absolute minimum, and are limiting closures to between 10pm and 6am, which is when traffic on the road is at its very lowest.”