THERE'S just one week to go until massive disruptions hit one of Hamp-shire's main arteries.

The A36 through Wellow and Plaitford will be closed for up to nine weeks from next Monday while highways bosses carry out £770,000 of road repairs.

A new surface is to be laid on a one-mile stretch and desperately-needed safety measures will be installed.

Motorists face a 12-mile detour around the A27, and in November last year the Daily Echo revealed that local traders feared their takings would plummet as a result.

The first section of work will take place between Ower and

the Canada Common roundabout, when highways engineers will install vital safety

measures and a new pedestrian crossing.

Westbound traffic will be diverted via the A338, while eastbound drivers face a massive detour on to the A27 and A3090.

Access will still be maintained for Wellow residents and emergency vehicles.

That first phase of the work is scheduled to finish on February 25 - but on February 14 work will start on resurfacing the A36 dual carriageway between the M27 junction two Ower roundabout and the circuit roundabout.

The extended roadworks are not scheduled to finish until March 23.

Highways Agency project manager Phil Hardy-Bishop told the Daily Echo: "The safety improvements have been combined with resurfacing work which was already scheduled to take place in 2005.

"The new surface will provide a quieter road and improved skid resistance.

"By combining both schemes we plan to reduce the overall length of time it will take to complete the work.

"The diversion will mean longer journey times and road users should allow longer.

"The safety improvement work will see new pedestrian crossing facilities installed along the route and new road markings, signs and surface treatment to reinforce the speed limit."