Weekend closures for essential work to improve journeys and maintain safety on two bridges on the M27 in Hampshire

Now National Highways are preparing to work on top of the structures, which will involve weekend closures of the M27 at junction 12 through September and October.

The bridges, known locally as the IBM bridges, were constructed in 1975 and are suffering from deterioration of the concrete underneath due to water ingress from drainage and age-expired waterproofing and joints on the top.

Over the last few months, we have carried out concrete repairs to the underside of the bridges as well as installing protection to slow the corrosion of the steel.

Due to the size of these concrete repairs, for some of the repair locations we had to close one lane on both bridges until the concrete gained sufficient strength before it was re-opened to traffic.

This phase is now nearing completion, and we are preparing for our work on top of the bridge.

Emma Weston, Project Manager at National Highways, said: “Our workforce has made great progress and ensured that everything has gone to plan – often under arduous conditions, during the recent heatwave.

“The next phase of works will involve removing the surfacing and age expired waterproofing on the top of the bridges and upgrading the existing surface drainage. We’ve got an additional challenge to remove the asbestos within the waterproofing. It will be safely removed and disposed of by specialist contractors before the new waterproofing layer is applied and new surfacing laid.”

Emma added: “We understand the frustration our works may have. The weekend closures have been carefully planned to avoid the Portsmouth Football Club home and away games as we know these would be busier weekends.”

Due to the volume of work required, our work will be carried out in two halves per bridge. We have programmed two full weekend closures for the westbound bridge and two full weekend closures for the eastbound. In case of bad weather, two additional contingencies have also been programmed.

The westbound M27 will be closed at the Portsbridge roundabout: 

• 9pm Friday 5 to 6am Monday 8 September
• 9pm Friday 26 to 6am Monday 29 September

The eastbound M27 will be closed at junction 12: 

• 9pm Friday 10 to 6am Monday 13 October
• 9pm Friday 17 to 6am Monday 20 October

This will be followed by a series of overnight closures to cut in the new bridge joints.

Check our website for road closure here and follow @HighwaysSEAST on X for any updates

---

Notes to Editors

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.

Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.

For further information please contact National Highways' press office (24hrs) on 0844 693 1448 and select the most appropriate option:

Option 1: National enquiries (9am to 5.30pm) and out of hours for urgent enquiries
Option 2: North West (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 3: Yorkshire and North East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 4: West Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 5: East Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 6: East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 7: South East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 8: South West (9am to 5.30pm)