NIGHT time journeys on one of Hampshire major roads will be disrupted for six weeks of bridge repair work starting on Monday.

Bowden Hill Bridge, located around half a mile south of the A34’s interchange with the A303 at Bullington Cross and carries the A34 over an unnamed local road, will have components known as bearings replaced.

Bridge bearings help protect the structure by allowing some movement between the bridge deck – which carries the road - and the piers that hold it up.

The work will involve lifting up the bridge deck to access the bearings. This will be carried out using ten overnight closures of the A34 – five in each direction. The local road under the bridge will be closed to traffic throughout the work, however footpaths for pedestrians will remain open.

Highways Agency structures manager Steve Cobb said: “Bridge bearings are designed to be replaced from time to time, and we have planned this important work carefully to keep overall disruption to a minimum.

“By completing the work overnight, and removing all restrictions from the A34 outside working hours, the vast majority of journeys should be unaffected by the work. Where closures are needed, there will be fully signed diversion routes in place – drivers affected by these would be well advised to leave extra time for their journeys.”

The ten overnight closures are scheduled for Thursday November 1 (northbound), Wednesday November 14 (northbound), Thursday November 15 (southbound), Wednesday November 28 (southbound), Monday December 3 to Wednesday December 5 (southbound) and Monday December 10 to Wednesday December 12 (northbound), each between 10pm and 6am.

On each night, there will be a fully singed diversion route in place via the A303 and the A30. The local road will be closed for the six weeks, with a fully signed diversion route in place via Barton Stacey to use the A30.

Work is expected to be completed on Wednesday December 12.