Plans to close a busy road to traffic for around five months have been postponed, Network Rail has confirmed.

The agency had planned to close Priory Road for essential structural improvement works on the railway bridge, near St Denys station, for 20 weeks.

But on the eve of the works, it was postponed as the company, responsible for maintaining the railway network, decided to prioritise "more urgent works".

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We have taken the decision to postpone these improvement works to the bridge over Priory Road, Southampton.

"While these works are needed, we have taken the decision to prioritise more urgent works.

"We will keep all relevant stakeholders updated as to when these works will now take place.”

The works would have seen the railway line, part of the line between Southampton and Portsmouth, closed for a week while contractors worked 24 hours a day to deliver repairs.

Various other works were due to take place between now and July 10.