M27: Behind the barrier with National Highways

And now National Highways has allowed the Echo to get a glimpse behind the barrier and find out exactly what crews have been doing to resurface the stretch between junction 5 at Eastleigh to 7 at Hedge End.

Drivers know the M27 has been blighted by speed restrictions and roadworks since 2018, but now National Highways has shared its progress on the resurfacing project.

Workers are currently focusing on two lanes on the westbound carriage of the M27 between junction 5 and 7.

They are installing drainage, sorting verges and over laying the road surface in order for it to last for the next 40-years, ready for the 120-130,000 drivers travelling it every day.

What does a day in the life of a Highway crew on the M27 look like?

The Morgan Sindall Group is the contractor delivering the works on behalf of National Highways.

This means at any one time there are 200 people working on the project - made up from Morgan Sindall work crews and National Highways office staff.

Those work crews out on the carriageway work 11-hour shifts which are split between day and night shifts, with the option also available to work weekends.

Crews working on the day shift start bright and early at 6am working through the day with two breaks until heading home at 5pm.

Crews working on the M27 resurfacing (Image: NQ) The night shift crews then start at 7pm in the evening and work until 5.30am – where more can be done on the motorway with less traffic to manage.

One of the workers out on the M27 said that he had been a chef for 11 years but found himself without a job when the pandemic shut most restaurants across the UK.

He said he had been with Morgan Sindall for the last three and a half years and "absolutely loved the job" which he said had allowed him to learn many new skills and develop professionally.

It 's a dangerous job - and work crews need to allow at least half a meter between where they are standing and the temporary concrete barrier next to the live traffic lanes going at 50mph.

One worker said that most of his team, known as ‘gangs’, prefer to stay at least a meter away from the live carriageway in order to stay as safe as possible.

What about the traffic and speed cameras on the M27?

Within the area being resurfaced, National Highways operates 28 temporary traffic cameras which broadcast live footage to an operating hub - allowing for traffic conditions to be monitored.

These images are set to the South East Regional Operation Centre in Godstone, just off the M25, which is responsible for responding to emergency calls and setting signs and signals.

Highway operators at a National Highways at Regional Operating Centre (Image: National Highways)With the overhead signals in mind, many drivers may have noticed the large purple tube that runs alongside the motorway near the works.

These tubes are holding the wires that carry messages to the overhead signs and signals on the motorway.

READ MORE: Hampshire M3 and M27 closures from November 29 to December 1

Despite being responsible for maintaining speed cameras, National Highways said that all speed cameras on the M27 are operated by Hampshire Constabulary.

What is the most recent M27 resurfacing update?

National Highways have shared it most recent progress update with the Echo and said this it is still currently on track to finish as planned.

Richard Scrase, programme delivery manager at National Highways said: "Currently we are on programme to complete the works by summer of 2026.

"The next traffic management change over will be in April and will see the contraflow lane on the westbound carriageway changed to the eastbound carriageway.

"It will take a couple of weeks to change over that contraflow lane so we will have some overnight lane closure in order to carry that out.

"We are in a strong place and on track to deliver the resurfacing by our end date."

Why was the M27 not resurfaced when it was changed into a smart motorway?

In 2018 it was announced that the M27 would be transformed into a smart motorway - drivers then spent four years travelling at 50mph until the scheme was finally complete in 2022.

Hampshire drivers were then shocked to learn that in February this year, the motorway would be back down to 50mph while it was resurfaced.

Road works at the side of the M27 (Image: NQ) This left many wondering why the smart motorway and resurfacing could not be complete at the same time.

Mr Scrase said: “One reason is that there are always different funding allocated for different schemes which can affect how and when schemes are carried out.

“The other main reason is that in 2018, when works started to make the M27 a smart motorway, the carriageway surface was deemed to be in a suitable condition to continue.

“Unfortunately, it was not practical to do both schemes at the same time – these works will extend the life of the carriageway for 40 years and only require small amounts of maintenance during that time.”