DRIVERS are soon set to see the end of roadworks as the M27 Smart Motorway scheme draws to a close.

National Highways has been upgrading a 15-mile stretch of the M27 between junctions 4 for the M3 interchange and 11 at Fareham since March 2018, with the pandemic delaying the project.

Speed limits have been reduced to 50mph with average speed cameras in place.

Agency workers were due to start removing traffic cones and barriers from the stretch on Saturday night, with four lanes open in both directions.

The speed limit will then be 60mph, with extra CCTV and a free recovery service.

Read more: M27 Smart Motorway works to END next week in Hampshire

Yet-to-be-started smart motorway schemes have been halted over safety fears due to the lack of a hard shoulder.

But National Highways said there will be 13 new emergency areas on the M27.

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said: “It’s always a relief when road works come to an end.

“While we all acknowledge how important it is to have our roads maintained and upgraded the inconvenience can sometimes be very frustrating. It is therefore very welcome that we will have an extra lane and an increased speed limit after many moths of disruption.”

The removal of cones and barriers will end on February 18, but the road will not then be back at 70mph until commissioning is complete.

Keith House, leader at Eastleigh Borough Council, said: “It’s good to see the road reopening after so many extra unintended months of lane restrictions.

“But it shows how badly this project has been managed that new closures and restrictions will start again next year when the section between Junctions 5 and 7 is resurfaced with a quieter material.

“This is work promised years ago that should have been carried out while the Smart Motorway work was taking place.”

National Highways smart motorways programme director David Bray said: “Divers using the M27 can be reassured that the motorway already has multiple safety features in place while this testing is carried out.

“This includes 142 CCTV cameras; a dedicated free recovery service with a fleet of 10 vehicles, and the ability to use technology to vary the speed limit and to close lanes using a Red X.”