HIGHWAY chiefs have issued an apology after giving drivers just four days’ notice of a major road closure.

The westbound carriageway of the M27 and A31 between Ower and Ringwood will be shut for four nights from Monday for resurfacing. Sliproads onto the carriageway will also be closed.

But the Highways Agency did not announce the closure until it released its weekly summary of major roadworks on Friday.

People travelling on the A338 have also been warned over two weeks of overnight lane closures starting this week.

Critics including the AA accused the agency of adding to the potential traffic chaos by failing to give drivers enough notice.

The organisation apologised and promised to give motorists more warning of any similar schemes in future.

An eight-mile section of the A31 westbound will be closed between 10pm and 6am on all four nights.

The project will also result in the closure of several slip roads on the southern side of the A31 including those at Cadnam, where the busy dual carriageway meets the M27.

Drivers will have to leave the motorway at Junction 2 at Ower and take a major detour involving the A326 and A35.

Ringwood’s mayor, Cllr Michael Thierry, said: “The town council and the county council had no idea that the work was going ahead.

“A simple e-mail would have enabled the town council to be proactive and issue an alert.

“It’s most regrettable that the Highways Agency has acted in this way. It doesn’t make for good relationships and lessons need to be learnt.”

Paul Watters of the AA also criticised the “ridiculous” lack of warning.

He added: “Lots of people without kids go away in June, before the school holidays, because of the good weather and lower prices.

“And many people making long journeys like to drive between 9pm and 6am to avoid the daytime traffic.

“The closure will also have an impact on hauliers getting goods to the supermarkets. Schedules will already have been sorted out.”

Desmond Swayne, Tory MP for New Forest West, added: “It’s very short notice for people to change their plans – or even to find out that they need to.”

The A31 is a major commuter route between Bournemouth and Southampton and is also used by a large number of families heading for holiday destinations in the West Country.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: “We apologise if the short notice period for this work causes inconvenience to local residents and road users.

“We will be working closely with our contractors to ensure appropriate notice is given for any future work.”