HIGHWAY bosses have been urged to rethink diversion routes after a weekend of traffic chaos.

The M27 was closed from junctions three to five and traffic was diverted over the weekend to allow work to rebuild Romsey Road Bridge.

But many areas were brought to a standstill including North Baddesley, Romsey and part of Southampton, including Winchester Road, Hill Lane and Bassett Avenue.

The motorway, which was expected to remain closed until 5am on Monday, was reopened 16 hours earlier.

But residents blamed part of the traffic chaos on HGVs and are urging highways bosses to look at the diversion routes again ahead of the motorway closures planned for next year.

As previously reported, westbound HGVs faced a 58-mile diversion, driving up as far as Andover and the A303, out to Salisbury and back round to Southampton.

And while some traffic opted to use smaller, local routes, larger traffic faced the full diversion, turning a ten-minute drive into a two-hour loop of Hampshire.

But HGVs were seen using local roads across the weekend.

Steven Galton, pictured above, Conservative councillor for Millbrook, said: “Millbrook Road West has been quieter than usual. It’s quiet for cars but I have seen more HGVs than usual – that shows lorries are not following the diversion route.

“There has been some HGV traffic in Millbrook and Winchester Road. I did notice there were lots of lorries going towards the Redbridge roundabout and lorries that were trying to go into the dock.

“So there are definitively lorries that are not following the diversion but I think everybody was expecting that. The 58-mile diversion route has never been a realistic option for many of the lorries.”

The diversion was branded as “unrealistic” and hauliers had said it could cost them thousands of pounds and add two extra hours to their journey.

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said: “For those hauliers who know the alternative routes through the city, the temptation to take it is very strong. Highways England were unrealistic from the start and the travel chaos some of us predicted has now come to fruition.”

Highway bosses are now urged to rethink the diversion routes before the motorways are closed again next year, between April 26 and 29, and October 18 and 21.

Southampton Independents councillor Andrew Pope said the traffic chaos “could have been avoided with better planning and coordination”.

He added: “Surely there are other options be explored. It’s unrealistic to expect HGV drivers to follow that, they will try to take short routes, they have deadlines.

“Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council and Highways England have to come up with better alternatives next time. It’s the job of the city council to speak to the county council and other agencies to be the glue that brings them together.”

Jacqui Rayment, cabinet member for transport and public realm at Southampton City Council, said the authority would analyse what went well over the weekend and what did not, and the plan ahead of next year’s closure will reflect the feedback.

She added: “But to open as quickly as they have done, it means it was not as bad as predicted. I think it was down to the good work of all involved that they have managed to do this.”

A spokesman for Highways England said: “As with all work, we welcome feedback from partners and road users and will analyse the works to see if we can do anything better in future.

“While we direct drivers to use our clearly signed diversion routes, sometimes they will choose their own routes or follow their sat nav.s Our advice would always be against this.”

The Daily Echo approached the Road Haulage Association for a comment but they were unable to provide one before the paper went to press.