MOTORISTS are facing more roadwork misery at one of the main gateways into Southampton.

Resurfacing work on Redbridge roundabout, which has been plagued by roadworks in recent years, will start on Monday.

Work will also be carried out on the section of the M271 that leads from the M27 into the city, to improve the standard of the carriageway where it meets the roundabout.

Engineers will carry out the work overnight in stages from Monday until December 1.

The work will mean diversions around the Redbridge roundabout and a section of the southbound carriageway of the M271.

The work will take place in two stages. The first will involve closing the westbound Redbridge causeway and the westbound sliproad from the Redbridge roundabout every night between 7pm and 6am from Monday until Friday, November 24.

Diversions will take motorists eastbound off the roundabout towards the city centre, coming off at the Millbrook roundabout and then coming back on themselves heading into Totton using the flyover.

The second stage will begin on November 27, when the lower section of the M271 southbound carriageway and the Redbridge roundabout eastbound sliproad will be closed every night, between 10pm and 5am, until Friday, December 1. Diversions for those routes are yet to be announced.

The work is being carried out by Southampton City Council, Hampshire County Council and the Highways Agency.

Councillor Jill Baston, Cabinet member for environment and transport , said: "By working with other agencies we hope to reduce the amount of disruption to road users."

"We are also ensuring the work takes place at the night when road use is at a minimum."

Paul Watters of the AA Motoring Trust said: "This is certainly one of the busiest roads into Southampton used by a lot of heavy goods vehicles, which is why I imagine these resurfacing works are necessary.

"It is never a good time to do roadworks on such a busy section of road but it is to be applauded that at least they are being carried out at night."

The work forms part of an ongoing resurfacing project around the city, with further improvements being planned next year as part of Southampton City Council's £41m bid to improve the state of the city's streets and roads.

The work starts just a week after resurfacing of Bursledon Road, another major route into Southampton, came to an end.