Safety improvement work on A34 near Winchester (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Safety improvement work on A34 near Winchester

2:50pm Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Winchester

SAFETY improvement work started on the A34 near Winchester on Monday.

The Highways Agency is permanently closing the lay-by facilities on the north and southbound carriageways just north of the M3 Junction Nine interchange at Winnall, to ensure the safety of both pedestrians and motorists.

The work will be carried out overnight to reduce disruption, and should last three weeks with lane closures between 10pm and 5am.

Anthony Powell, Highways Agency project manager, said there had been a number of crashes at these sites and incidents where drivers using the southbound layby had parked on the footway.

This has meant that pedestrians have to walk between the vehicle and fast-moving carriageway traffic, causing safety concerns.

From now on, drivers are expected to use laybys two miles further along the A34 at Headbourne Worthy.