MAJOR roadworks that have caused misery for thousands of motorists driving into Southampton will be finished two weeks earlier than planned.

City council transport bosses and gas pipeline company Transco have acted to cut the time work on the A33 Redbridge Road will take by a fortnight.

Two lanes will still be open to city-bound traffic from the Redbridge roundabout to the Millbrook roundabout up to 10.30am.

Thousands of motorists were snared in jams along the inbound A33 Redbridge Road after safety measures implemented for the road repairs reduced traffic to one lane.

But now the city council has dovetailed the lane closures by two weeks to reduce the disruption caused by the maintenance works.

City council Cabinet member for the environment and transport Councillor Richard Williams said: "Obviously any roadworks on a principal route will have an adverse impact on road users, especially on a route such as the A35/A33.

"However we have a commitment to improve the quality of the roads in the city, everyone recognises the work needs doing and unfortunately delays are unavoidable when the extra investment committed to road improvements is actually spent."

Resurfacing and gas mains work is being carried out along the Redbridge Road, one of the principal routes into the city from the New Forest, as part of a major council investment to improve the road quality.

At the peak times congestion caused by the repairs has built up as far back as Ashurst from the Redbridge Causeway.

Many roads users have taken as long as an hour and a half to travel the four-mile journey from Totton to Millbrook Trading Estate.