Delayed works to resurface a section of the M27 - and make the road quieter - will cost £30m more than planned.

Replacing noisy concrete between Junction 5 and Junction 7 with low-noise asphalt was expected to cost in the region of £50m.

However, new estimates show the project to reduce noise near Hedge End, West End, Eastleigh and Fair Oak could cost as much as £82m. 

The works were due to start this spring but have now been pushed back until the autumn.

They follow years of complaints from residents, with people in West End saying the noise has stopped them from sleeping. 

The Tory MP for Eastleigh, Paul Holmes, told the Echo the increase is due to "inflationary pressures" but also because of the work required.

"It is a huge job actually. At some points the concrete is not just a surface," he said. 

"They are going to have to remove quite a thick base of concrete. I think that is why the cost of the project is around £82m."

READ MORE: Work to resurface M27 to make it 'quieter' gets the go-ahead 

However, Eastleigh Borough Council leader, Cllr Keith House, has hit out at the government saying funding for the project was secured in 2014 under Mike Thornton, Mr Holmes' Lib Dem predecessor. 

"This never-ending story of delays on the M27 resurfacing to finally reduce noise for local residents is a disgrace," he said.

"We have had so many promises, all broken, since then.

"What's worse is - this is now going to be so much more expensive and create another 18 months of traffic congestion all of which could have been avoided if the work was done as part of the Smart Motorway project."

Drainage and central reservation work will be carried out at the same time with the project expected to last 18 months. 

It is part of a £400m government programme to fix concrete roads across the UK.

National Highways previously said initial repairs would start in January 2022 with the actual resurfacing set to begin in spring this year. But a fixed date is yet to be set. 

In a visit to Eastleigh earlier this week, roads minister, Richard Holden, confirmed works would start in the autumn.

He said: "It's quite unbelievable just how noisy it is. I'm delighted it's going ahead. Sorry it's been delayed a little bit."

Mr Holmes said workers have been preparing the site for the past year and the resurfacing should be complete by early 2025. 

He said disruption should be "minimal" with only one lane of the motorway being closed at one time.

Katarina Saradinova, National Highways interim head of service delivery, said: "We are progressing well with the detailed design of the scheme, and we look forward to providing further information about what it will look like by the end of May.

"The budget is estimated around £80m, which could change depending on the detailed scope.”