DRIVERS will have to follow a 34-mile diversion around Basingstoke to bypass roadworks.

A section of the A340 Main Road by Tadley Hill will be shut to allow Hampshire County Council to resurface the carriageway.

The A-road will be closed from Thursday, November 19 to Tuesday, November 24.

Hampshire County Council has published the official diversion route online, which will take approximately one hour and two minutes to follow the 34 mile route.

Basingstoke Gazette: Diversion routeDiversion route

To bypass the roadworks, motorists must head south-east on Aldermaston Road towards Skates Lane.

At Aldermaston Roadd Roundabout drivers should take the 5th exit onto the A339 slip road to Ring Road/ /B3400.

Drivers must keep right at the fork, follow signs for Winklebury/A339.

At the next roundabout, you should take the 2nd exit onto A339.       

When drivers get to Roman Road Roundabout, they should take the 2nd exit onto Kingsclere Rd/A339.

At the next roundabout, drivers should take the 2nd exit onto Newbury Road/A339.

Continue to the next roundabout, where you will take the 1st exit and stay on A339.

At the next roundabout, take the 1st exit and stay on A339.     

Motorists should take the 2nd exit onto Second Street/A339 at the next roundabout.

Basingstoke Gazette: Stretch of road causing the diversionStretch of road causing the diversion

At Swan Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Newtown Rd/A339        

Continue onto the A339 at the roundabout by taking the 2nd exit.

At the next roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Greenham Road/A339.

Take the 1st exit at the roundabout to stay on the A339. 

Then take the A4/B4009 exit towards Hungerford/Thatcham/Hermitage       

Drivers should keep right to continue on A4, the road will turn slightly right and becomes Western Avenue/A339.

Then turn left onto London Rd/A4 and at the next roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Benham Hill/A4.   

At the next two roundabouts, take the 2nd exit onto Bath Rd/A4.       

Drivers should then take the 3rd exit of the roundabout onto Basingstoke Road/A340      .

At the next two roundabout, drivers need to take the 1st exit onto the A340.

At the roundabout, take the 1st exit and stay on A340

Motorists should then go through 1 roundabout and turn right onto Aldermaston Road/A340.

Continue to follow A340 and the diversion will come to an end.

The reason for the length of the diversion is because the closure is on an A-road and therefore any official alternative route must use the same class of road.

Alternatively, there are a number of shorter but unofficial routes that drivers can take to avoid the road closure. These not suitable for HGVs and should be avoided if using larger machinery.

Any person who breaches the road closure could be convicted or face a fine not exceeding £1,000.

The diversion route will be signposted on the road.