A SOUTHAMPTON road will be shut to motorists - for the second time this month.

It comes after Southampton City Council began installing part-time traffic signals at Woodmill Bridge, situated between Manor Farm Road and Oliver Road, as part of a traffic management scheme.

The £250,000 scheme, funded by the council's transport budget, includes plans to fit new traffic lights and a puffin crossing in the area.

The works were meant to be completed by January 19.

However, it was reopened a day later than planned, on January 20.

But Storm Brendan, which caused several road closures and fallen trees across the city, has delayed works at the bridge.

It will now be closed again overnight on Tuesday January 28, to run signal cable through ducting on the footway from 9am to 6pm.

There will be no footway or vehicle access during the closure.

Due to the narrow footway on the bridge, it is believed there is not enough room for the crew to work safely, meaning they will need to encroach onto the carriageway.

According to the highways team at Southampton City Council, the closure is required for the crew's safety.

They have apologised for any inconvenience.

There will be no footway or vehicle access during this time, and a signed diversion route will be in place for motorists through Portswood Road, St Denys Road, Cobden Bridge and Manor Farm Road.

Previously, traffic chiefs warned that the closure could cause delays.

The plans follow a public consultation exercise at the end of last year.

Residents had urged the city council to install lights for a number of years.

The consultation resulted in a good level of community interest, with 237 submissions received by the council.

This set the go-ahead for the installation of traffic signals to manage queues at Woodmill Bridge.

The works have since been programmed to run in January ahead of other major work throughout the year.

Once installed, the signals will be tested and switched on from February 17, in the school half term.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the work will include maintenance work such as footway repairs and the cleaning of signs.

Once live, the traffic signals will work on a part-time basis, based on the flow of traffic through the junction.

It is thought the signals will be on during peak hours and switched off at night, when levels of traffic are lower.

During off-peak periods, the crossing will function but traffic will be expected to give and take as with the current arrangement.