Anger at Southampton Redbridge Causeway tailbacks

Long delays on a main route into Southampton have led to "anger and frustration" among drivers.

A lane closure on the A35 Redbridge Causeway began on Monday, with people reporting delays of up to 90 minutes.

Icy conditions compounded the problems for commuters on Tuesday.

Hampshire County Council said the lane closure was due to new parapet panels having to be removed and returned to the manufacturer for safety reasons. Delays are likely for up to 11 weeks.

The road serves as a link between the New Forest waterside area and Southampton and connects with the M271.

Monday saw gridlocked traffic through nearby Totton and 2.5-mile tailbacks as far as Ashurst in the New Forest.

Students at Houndsdown School in Totton arrived more than an hour late on both days after their bus was caught in the jams.

One Facebook user said it took her "two hours for a 10-mile journey that usually take 20 mins".

Another said her daughter was late for an exam after being "stood out in freezing temperatures waiting for her bus".

A £15.8m project is ongoing to upgrade the bridges which are used by roughly 60,000 vehicles a day.

Following the latest round of work, Hampshire County Council said batches of new parapet panels did not met the required standard and were being removed as a precaution.

"Until the replacement panels are delivered and installed, it is not safe for pedestrians and cyclists to use the southern footway," it added.

With the lane having to remain empty while work takes place on the structure underneath, the "necessary" closures could last into March, the council said.

It insisted the "complex engineering scheme" would ensure the bridges would last another 30 years.

Totton ward councillor David Harrison said: "It's very clear that the traffic... has caused a very significant amount of congestion, leading to long delays, a huge amount of frustration and even anger, especially with people trying to get to work, schools, colleges and even hospital appointments."

Mr Harrison, who has been campaigning for the reopening of the Waterside railway line, said the problems showed a passenger rail service would be a "viable alternative".

In October, the council asked road users to "be patient" as work on the parapets and areas under the bridges led to long delays heading out of the city.

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