VILLAGERS say they are being driven to distraction by transport chiefs who are ignoring their calls to resurface a noisy stretch of the M3.

Residents living in Compton and Shawford, near Winchester, say the issue has been a constant headache for some 15 years.

But Highways bosses insist that resurfacing is not needed and has instead patched parts of the road.

Villagers say it’s not enough and are now lobbying for the whole section between junction 10 at Bar End and junction 12 at Otterbourne to be renewed and their calls are being backed by Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Winchester, Steve Brine, who has taken up the campaign.

He said: “This has dragged on for years and my recent correspondence with the Highways Agency gives us good reason to put them on the spot and the issue back on the agenda.

“I don’t accept that the short-term remedial works mean the re-surfacing issue is parked for at least another five years and neither do many affected residents.”

This week, the agency confirmed that it had no plans to resurface the Bar End to Otterbourne section within the next four years.

A spokesman said “resurfacing would be a poor use of taxpayers’ money” and added: “Selective resurfacing is a more cost effective solution.”