A junction of the M27 will be closed ahead of a major refurbishment aimed at making a noisy stretch of the motorway quieter.

The junction 7 (Hedge End) westbound entry slip will be shut from 9pm to 6am on February 17  for preparation work before the stretched is overlaid with low-noise asphalt.

Highways England has been working on the delayed project amid calls from residents and politicians to make the stretch quieter.

READ MORE: M27 low-noise concrete resurfacing work to start this year

In a letter sent to residents, National Highways said: "During this time, a designated diversion route will be in place.

"Drivers wishing to travel westbound from junction 7 will need to join the M27 eastbound carriageway at junction 7 and head towards junction 8.

"Drivers should then leave the M27 at the junction 8 eastbound not slip road. before re-joining the M27 via the junction 8 westbound entry slip road and continuing their journey eastbound.

"As part of our ongoing preparation work, we need to complete some concrete repairs on the carriageway.

"We can only repair the concrete when a lane closure is in place, and as our contraflow traffic management hasn't been installed yet the work must take place overnight.

"This work will take place in various locations from 19 February 2024 to 15 March 2024.

"We'll aim to carry out any noisy work during the earliest part of the night, and we'll make every effort to carefully manage noise levels to minimise the impact of this work.

"We're sorry for any inconvenience or disruption this may cause."

When the overlay work is complete it will "improve safety, create a smoother quieter journey, and extend the life of the road for 40 years," National Highways said.