ALL REVVED UP!: Laura Squires from LA Fitness in Shirley checks the stress level of Mark Mayes in the roadworks. Echo picture by Stuart Martin. Order no: hnvzc4l4

ROAD chiefs in Southampton have vowed that major roadworks which have snarled up one of the city's busiest arteries should be completed this weekend.

Drivers using the busy Winchester Road have faced weeks of chaos while repairs are completed along a section of Hill Lane leading into the city.

Access from roads leading off Winchester Road to estates at Lordswood have been blocked off while city transport bosses complete resurfacing both the road and pavements along the north section of Hill Lane leading to Lordswood Road and Lord's Hill.

Residents along Rockleigh Road have also had their access to Hill Lane blocked and face long diversions before they can get on to major routes heading into the city.

John Scorey, 46, of Rockleigh Road, told the Daily Echo: "The road closures are over the top for what they are doing. The pavement definitely needed doing but why have they had to block off the whole lot of the road? It just seems way over the top for the amount of work they are doing."

The repairs have caused massive delays during rush hours along Winchester Road with many drivers facing hold-ups as they try to travel to and from work.

Access to roads leading on to Hill Lane has also been restricted, with homeowners facing lengthy diversions just to get home.

Meanwhile, staff at the LA Fitness Centre in Winchester Road have come up with a novel idea while the roadworks are taking place.

Club staff placed "stress patches" on motorists to test their stress levels while they were stuck in the jams. If the tests proved positive, they offered drivers a free session at the fitness centre.

Club manager Mark Mayes said: "Based on my experience of getting stressed out going along Winchester Road we decided we would test people's levels of stress in the traffic."

A city council spokesman said resurfacing works in upper Hill Lane were on schedule to be completed at the end of this week.

He said: "The traffic management is complex and the work required to resurface means complete closure of upper Hill Lane was the only option.

"The other traffic restrictions along Winchester Road - ie no right turns - are in place to prevent 'rat running' and to ensure local residents get access."