RUSH-HOUR traffic ground to a halt on the M27 near Southampton this morning as controversial roadworks finally got under way.

By 7am long tailbacks had built up along the eastbound carriageway at Rownhams services as drivers queued to join the M3.

Police said traffic at the interchange was having to use the hard shoulder and only one other lane following overnight surface-laying and stud removal on the carriageway.

Delays were also expected on the link from the M3 southbound carriageway to the M27 westbound, which was down to one lane from 6am today.

The link will have only one daytime lane operating for the next week, with all lanes closed overnight between 9pm and 6am, forcing westbound traffic to take a five-mile diversion via the Southampton Airport junction.

Pc Tim Goodman, Southampton police traffic management officer, said: "The traffic was flowing very freely this morning but more congestion was likely.

"Traffic is generally slower moving in wet weather anyway as people quite rightly follow the Highway Code by leaving bigger gaps between vehicles."

Police said initial works for the £5.1 million repair and resurfacing programme had gone smoothly last night and would be stepped up tonight.

But delays would be "inevitable" as a series of complicated diversions continued.

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