HIGHWAY chiefs are warning that a £1m road repair project will result in almost six months of traffic chaos.

Disruption will begin next month, when the county council starts to transform the A36 Salisbury Road between Totton town centre and Calmore industrial estate.

Contractors will rebuild a two-kilometre section of worn-out road, install a new drainage system and plant 100 trees to improve the environment.

Project manager Brett Hawley said: "It's a 22-week scheme that has all the potential of being very disruptive.

"We're starting in August to ensure we make maximum use of the school holiday period, when traffic is generally lighter."

Salisbury Road is often used as a short cut by drivers heading in and out of Southampton.

The county council is hoping publicity about the repair project will encourage many motorists to take an alternative route until the work is complete.

Mr Hawley said: "Signs warning of delays on Salisbury Road will be placed as far out as Redbridge and Ower to keep through-traffic out of Totton."

Project engineer Syd Sadro said the road would be repaired in 300-metre sections, resulting in stretches of one-way traffic controlled by lights.

He added: "We'll ask the contractors to start at the town centre end, so hopefully they will be clear of that area before Christmas.

"But we know the scheme is going to cause a lot of disruption.

"We will be doing letter drops and publicising the work in the press to let people know that delays will occur over 22 weeks."

Some of the worst disruption is likely to occur in the early stages of the project.

Problems are expected to ease as drivers adapt to the situation, but it will be January next year before the road returns to normal.

Councillor George Dart, chairman of Totton town council's planning and transport committee, expressed concern about "serious delays" that would be caused by the work.

But he said Salisbury Road was in poor condition