THE man in charge of Hampshire's most controversial traffic lights has revealed that they could be removed if tailbacks do not improve - but only as a last resort.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo, Highways Agency boss Guy Berresford warned that there would be two more weeks of misery for motorists caught in queues trying to get off the westbound M27 on to the M271.

Only then will the "intelligent" lights have enough information to alter their own phasing in a bid to make sure tailbacks do not build up in a particular direction.

Mr Berresford, the agency's M27 route planner, insisted that the lights and removal of the filter lane had been done after detailed analysis of traffic flows through the junction.

He admitted that the changes had caused misery for some motorists, but insisted drivers either heading into Southampton from the eastbound M27, including Mr Berresford himself, or out of Southampton along the M271, had actually seen improvements.

He said the changes were about "sharing the pain" of queuing at the junction between all drivers.

He said: "There are still improvements to be made at the junction.

"Within two to three weeks we should be able to activate the intelligent traffic light control system at the junction, that will allow the lights to automatically adjust their phasing in response to traffic queuing.

"Essentially it will mean where the queues are longest, the lights will stay green longest, allowing more traffic to flow. We are confident that this will see an improvement in the operation of the junction that should lead to fewer delays.

"If it really doesn't work and there was a disadvantage to everyone using the junction, then we would take the lights out."

He added that the changes should lead to at least a 15 per cent improvement in traffic flow, but said the real problem with the junction was that demand was greater than capacity at peak times.

"Demand is greater than capacity during peak hours, so nothing we can do in the short term can remove all queuing.

"What we are trying to do is get the junction to work as efficiently as possible, and for some people this may mean slightly longer journey times but overall, for all motorists, it should reduce."

Mr Berresford also said that the only other option would be to completely rebuild the junction to eliminate the roundabout, but said that would cost at least £80m and that at the moment this was simply not an option.

He added: "I accept that at the moment the westbound carriageway is far worse, but it was done to share the queuing pain of all motorists, and I also believe the intelligent lights will lead to significant improvements."

The problems at junction three of the M27 began after the agency installed the new lights back in March.

The move meant the end of a free-flowing filter lane for traffic leaving the M27 westbound on to the M271, and led to tailbacks stretching miles up the M27, sometimes past the exit from the Rownhams services.

Some drivers have even been taking a high-speed shortcut through the services.

Hundreds of angry motorists inundated the Daily Echo with complaints about the delays the lights had caused, and were joined in their condemnation by the Association of British Drivers.

A petition, now with 450 names on it, was also set up on the Number 10 website calling for the lights to be taken down.