IT HAS caused months of misery for thousands of motorists.

But the Daily Echo can reveal multi-million pound roadworks to improve two junctions of a Hampshire motorway are set to continue until the end of this month – several months after their original deadline.

However, highways chiefs have vowed work at junctions three and five of the M27 will be ready in time for the busy August Bank Holiday when the cones are finally lifted.

Both schemes, designed to improve bottlenecks, which have left motorists facing reduced speeds, narrowed lanes and overnight closures, were initially meant to finish in the spring.

Work at junction five for Eastleigh has now been going on a year and last month Highways England told how this would continue into early August as would the work at junction three of the M27 to Southampton.

However, with work still in progress at both spots, highways bosses have revealed the cones will now come down in time for the Bank Holiday Weekend on August 29 – saying some of the work was more complex than anticipated.

Workers in fluorescent jackets have been a constant presence at the Eastleigh junction, which is used by around 100,000 drivers every day.

They have been creating additional lanes for motorists coming on and off the motorway, including a separate left-turn lane onto the eastbound carriageway as well as installing extra traffic lights on the roundabout, which are at a cost of £8m.

This has been in addition to other roadworks around Eastleigh as part of Hampshire County Council’s £2.3m investment to improve the town’s transport network, which has included work at Eastleigh station and Bishopstoke Road.

The £2.3m scheme at junction three, designed to improve life for the 96,000 motorists that use the junction every day, started in October.

Workers have been creating a third lane on the slip road off the westbound carriageway of the M27 and at both the northbound and southbound approaches to the motorway from the M271, along with additional traffic lights on the roundabout.

It is hoped the increased capacity will support growth in and around Southampton, including at Adanac Park, off the M271. But, as reported last week, traffic light problems brought more misery for motorists who were left trapped in lengthy delays getting on and off the roundabout.

Both schemes were part of the government’s £300m motorway “pinch point” programme and despite the delays Highways England says the schemes will come in on budget.

Highways England asset manager Philip Sheppard said: both schemes were “progressing well”.

“We originally planned to complete both schemes by the end of spring 2015 but some of the work we had to carry out, such as cabling, was more complex than anticipated so we had to spend more time than planned.

“We ask road users to bear with us while we work hard to ensure they can enjoy the benefits of both schemes by the bank holiday weekend.”

Hampshire County Council leader Roy Perry said he was “disappointed” work on the M27 had not been completed especially as the council had been advised some weeks ago they were due to be completed imminently.

“Good highways infrastructure is crucial to the economic well being of Hampshire as well as for the personal well being of all of us who have to use the road network,” he said.

Mims Davies, MP for Eastleigh, said she understood that Highways England had found an issue right in the centre of the roundabout at Eastleigh, but said she was confident everything had been done to get the projects finished in as reasonable time as possible.

“Any projects that’s delayed is disappointing but sometimes you can’t foresee things like that,” she added.