ROADWORKS in Hampshire will restart after they were put on hold due to the pandemic.

County bosses have confirmed that works on major road schemes as well as on flood prevention schemes across the county will resume.

It comes as all non-essential construction and maintenance work were put on hold in March in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19.

As previously reported, only work led by Highways England to turn part of the M27 into a smart motorway did not stop over the past months.

Now Hampshire County Council said work will restart on most sites shortly.

According to the authority, construction work for the £34m Stubbington bypass will resume from mid-May when work to improve Thornycroft Roundabout in Basingstoke will also resume.

Meanwhile, over the next four weeks archaeological investigations and ecological preparation work will be undertaken near Woodhouse Lane South in Botley, as part of the requirements for the Uplands Development scheme.

Main construction works are also due to commence in June on the £23 million project to improve the M27 at J9 and Parkway South roundabout in Whiteley.

Among the other works that will resume there are also construction works for the new cycle and pedestrian paths linking Chandler's Ford to Chilworth and work to improve cycle links across Test Lane in Redbridge, Southampton.

The Buckskin Flood Alleviation Scheme in Basingstoke and the Romsey Flood Alleviation Scheme will also restart.

Cllr Rob Humby, deputy leader of Hampshire County Council and executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: “Contractors will be following national guidelines on social distancing at all times and there is no reason to anticipate any contact at all with members of the public. We’ve been prioritising emergency and safety related highway works over recent weeks to manage our supply of materials and to ensure both the safety of our staff and of Hampshire residents. Now that the supply chain is starting up again, and we have confidence that effective social distancing can be achieved, work will be restarting on most sites shortly. It is ever more important we remain ready to deliver these schemes to support the economic recovery of the whole of Hampshire, once we are through the worst of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

The news comes as last week, Highways England said the M27 will be temporarily reduced to two lanes between J5 near Eastleigh and J7 near Hedge End. The 24-hour one-lane closure in both directions will be in place from until May 28.