HIGHWAY bosses are considering plans to stop traffic noise on a Hampshire motorway.

Residents have been complaining for years about the noise caused by the concrete section of the M27 between junctions five and seven.

But now highway bosses are looking into options to address the issue once and for all.

A final decision on what action to take has not yet been made but civic chiefs said highway bosses may be looking into the possibility of replacing concrete with tarmac.

This comes after Highways England launched the £275m smart motorway project aimed at widening the M27 and using the latest technologies to control traffic.

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council, pictured below right, said: “I’m a firm supporter of the smart motorway and I’ve been campaigning for years to have the M27 upgrade, and if there is an option to replace concrete with tarmac that will be a positive step to reduce noise levels.

“I’m sure Highways England will be looking into it but I will be pleasantly surprised if they will replace the concrete surface.”

He said this was not the main aim of the smart motorway scheme and admitted it would be expensive.

“This is not a scheme about digging up the motorway, but about widening the motorway,” he added.

Cllr Woodward also said that introducing noise barriers would be another option to reduce noise levels.

Eastleigh MP Mims Davies, pictured above right, said residents had stressed the importance of addressing the concrete section of the M27 as part of the smart motorway scheme.

Ms Davies, who recently met Highways England route sponsor John Henderson, said: “Over the summer I joined with local Hedge End and West End residents at the Highways England information events to discuss the introduction of the smart motorway to our section of the M27, and what this should mean for local residents, including reducing noise pollution.

“When I met with John, I was pleased to hear that those at the very top of Highways England and the Department for Transport have received that message loud and clear.”

Highways England has not confirmed which options it was considering, whether the work will be part of the smart motorway scheme, or when a decision will be made by.

As previously reported, as part of the smart motorway project the hard shoulder will be converted into a fourth lane with the junction slip roads altered.