A BUSY Hampshire road opened in time for this morning's rush hour after major road works were completed a week early.

Upper Northam Road in Hedge End was scheduled for a three week closure for major works to shore up steep embankments in danger of collapsing.

But a mammoth operation by Hampshire County Council maintenance workers has enable it to be completed more than seven days early.

It is a victory for county transport chiefs who initially came under fire from opponents claiming the works' scheduled timing would cause severe congestion and turn surrounding areas into rat runs.

The main road, which links the town to the M27 junction seven roundabout, underwent improvements on Monday, February 16, to stabilise embankments which collapsed during a landslip in storms and torrential rains in winter last year.

Upper Northam Road was closed between the M27 junction and the junction with Turnpike Way with diversions were place in both directions along Charles Watts Way, Grange Road and Lower Northam Road.

The council has ordered the closures as part of the authority's Operation Resilience Programme.

Hundreds of letters were sent to residents in the area by the authority warning them of the closure and alternative routes they should take.

Today a council spokeswoman confirmed the road opened on Friday evening following “extended working hours” and contractors “maximising resources”.

She added: “They pulled out the stops to get the road open as soon as possible due to the disruption it was going to cause.”

Contractors moved 7,000 tonnes of material during the huge operation, she said.

Town and parish councillors initially blasted the council, urging them to delay works until the Easter Holidays to minimise disruption.