New 50mph speed limit on M27 set to last until the end of 2025
National Highways has warned that drivers using the motorway between junction 2 at Ower and junction 3 at Southampton will also have to negotiate narrower lanes. The safety measures will enable repairs to be carried out to a bridge that carries the motorway over Station Road in Nursling. Motorists have already had to endure years of temporary speed limits and narrower lanes on the M27 between Eastleigh[1] and Fareham[2].
As reported in the Daily Echo, the busy commuter route has been blighted by speed restrictions and roadworks since 2018. The Eastleigh-Fareham stretch has been converted into a smart motorway and the section between junctions 5 and 7 is being resurfaced, with asphalt replacing concrete to make the road quieter. READ MORE: More than 12,000 drivers caught speeding by average speed cameras on the M27[3]
The bridge over Station Road needs a variety of work, including new joints, waterproofing, and repairs to part of the concrete. The scheme has resulted in several overnight closures of the M27 to enable new lane markings to be put in place. A National Highways spokesperson said: "Average speed cameras are being installed as part of the project to maintain the bridge.
"A speed restriction of 50mph will be in force for the safety of drivers and our workforce." The spokesperson said the narrower lanes would remain in place "through to the end of the year". 
A statement on the National Highways website adds: "We're carrying out essential work to keep the bridge safe for everyone. "We're working alongside the concrete overlay team nearby, so we can coordinate any closures and minimise disruption." The Southampton-Ower section of the M27 runs alongside part of the New Forest.
Asked about the temporary speed restriction, Totton councillor David Harrison, said: "Thousands of people will be frustrated by potential delays on our local motorway network, although this can be mitigated by sensible driving, leaving a decent gap between your vehicle and the one you are following.
"Tailgating is a menace in terms of increasing the risk of collisions but also interrupting traffic flow.
"Speed restrictions are in place for the benefit of those people working nearby and that has to be the priority."