RESIDENTS in a Hampshire community are bracing themselves for traffic chaos this weekend when a major road bridge going through their village closes.

The A3057 Romsey Road bridge will be closed from 10pm tonight until 6am on Monday as part of a multi-million pound project.

It is part of plans to replace the structurally weak bridge which crosses the M27 and is a major artery through the villages of Nursling and Rownhams between Romsey and Southampton.

Engineers will be diverting the utility cables which run through the 42-year old bridge.

The closure will be between the Romsey Golf Club roundabout and Paulette Lacave Avenue.

A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the A27 Botley Road through North Baddesley and Chilworth, Bassett Avenue, Winchester Road and Romsey Road.

During this closure Test Valley Borough Council will also be restricting access to Hoe Lane, Toothill Lane, Packridge Lane, Upton Lane, Balmoral Way, Horns Drove and Baker Drove.

A spokesman for Highways England, which is overseeing the project, said only villagers and business in Nursling and Rownhams will have access.

Meanwhile lorries are blocked from using the 72-metre long bridge while narrow lanes are in place for the next six weeks.

The weight limit will not affect vehicles such as buses, bin lorries or the emergency services.

In 2018 work will begin to replace the bridge. The Daily Echo understands there are plans to reduce the width of the bridge by half.

Contractors Kier will be carrying out the work but it is not known what the final design will look like.

No specific estimate on how much the project will cost has been given by Highways England, who are leading the project, but it is expected to be more than £5million.

A spokesman for Highways England said: “The scheme will ultimately deliver a brand new bridge which will ensure the network is robust for many years to come.”

Nursling and Rownhams resident, and member of the Nursling and Rownhams Village Fete committee, Peter Speirs, said the closure would have a "major impact" on travel over the weekend.

"People are going to have got round the world to get to Romsey or North Baddesley. But what can you do? We just have to grin and bear it," he said.

Phil Bundy, Test Valley Borough Councillor for Nursling and Rownhams said: "While we accept there will be some inconvenience while the work is being done then end result will be an improvement."