**Roadworks - Winchester Road from Plaza Roundabout to Cupernham Lane**
I want to give you (very) early warning of the closure of Winchester Road between the Plaxa roundabout and Cupernham Lane for up to 14 weeks between January and April 2023.
The condition of Winchester road from the Plaza roundabout to the Sun arch is a regular feature of comments on my timeline, messages I receive and conversations I have locally.
That section of road has long been on the list for resurfacing and indeed that work was due to be undertaken in the. next couple of months.
I'm afraid now that won't be happening. Southern Water have given notice that they intend to install a new sewer along the length of the road.
Winchester Road will therefore be CLOSED for a period of up to 14 weeks between the Plaza Roundabout and Cupernham Lane. The provisional start date for these works is January 9th 2023 and the closure is anticipated to be in place until just after Easter, April 14th 2023.
This part of town was one of those worst affected by the floods in 2014. Consequently, as part of the flood alleviation works around Romsey the sewer needs to be renewed and enlarged to ensure there is no repeat of that flooding.
As soon as the sewer is installed Hampshire Highways will then resurface the road. That work will hopefully be completed without a complete closure, but works are likely to continue, largely overnight, for a further couple of weeks at least.
I hope you understand that there is no point doing the resurfacing now only for that to be dug up by Southern Water within three months.
I recognise that the closure is likely to cause very severe disruption around the rest of the town and challenges for the residents who live along and off this stretch of Winchester Road. Access will be maintained for them.
Councillor Mark Cooper and I are pressing for both clarity around those access plans and, much more importantly, for the length of the closure to be kept to an absolute minimum. I have to say 14 weeks seems an inordiately long period to carry out work of this type.
I will of course keep you informed as further details emerge.
