Will the M275 be closed again this weekend? Has Portsmouth motorway reopened and how to avoid traffic jam
Motorists trying to get into Portsmouth last weekend found themselves at a total standstill after the M275 was closed.
The southbound roads into the city centre and Southsea were congested beyond belief on Saturday and Sunday, with shoppers and other commuters waiting almost half an hour to get into the city centre.
The cause of the congestion was that the M275 flyover had been closed, forcing everyone through the Rudmore roundabout, with lanes also being closed throughout the route to Commercial Road.
Other roads into the city were also affected as people tried to circumnavigate the traffic, with London Road and Eastern Road also subjected to heavy traffic.
Here’s everything we know about the closure - including how to actually avoid the traffic altogether.
Is the M275 still closed?
The N275 was closed at the weekend for emergency repair work. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) was carrying out urgent cable work on Mile End Road.
At the time of publication, the M275 flyover has been reopened for commuters, and is expected to be open throughout the week.
Will the M275 be shut this weekend?
Unfortunately for shoppers, the M275 will be closed once again this weekend as repair works continue. The road will be closed on the evening of Friday, March 13 and be shut until the early hours of Monday, March 16.
A spokesperson for SSEN said: “This repair is essential, and by carrying out the work at this time, the risk of a significant power outage in the future is significantly reduced.
“All efforts are being taken to ensure any impact is minimised. We would like to thank residents, commuters and visitors for their patience and understanding while we carry out these emergency works to maintain Portsmouth’s power supply.”
How to avoid the M275 traffic
The best way to avoid the traffic on the M275 is to instead rely on public transport to get in and out of Portsmouth.
If you are driving into the city, using the Park and Ride service from Tipner Lane will allow you to fly past the traffic towards Rudmore roundabout in the bus lane.
Even better, if you live near a railway station, you can take the train into Portsmouth and ignore the traffic altogether.