IT’S about time, too!” That’s the verdict of disgruntled residents living alongside the pothole-ridden A36 at Wellow and Plaitford after the Highways Agency announced the busy trunk road is to be completely resurfaced later this month.

Clive Rigby, who lives at Crawley Hill in West Wellow, complained numerous times to the Highways Agency about the state of the road which at one time had more than 100 potholes in the three-quarters-of-a-mile stretch between the Canada Roundabout and Whinwhistle Road turning.

He was forced to endure sleepless nights for months because of the noise from heavy lorries hitting potholes outside his home.

Clive took the matter up with Romsey MP, Caroline Nokes and most of the potholes have since been filled at Wellow. He told the Advertiser: “We have been able to sleep at night since the potholes were filled correctly about two months ago but this (resurfacing) should finally fix all the problems on this stretch of road.”

Ms Nokes confirmed that she’d received a large number of complaints from residents in Wellow and Plaitford about the state of the road and she’s welcomed the news that it is to be resurfaced.

“I’ve been working with local residents and the Highways Agency over the last few months to secure this resurfacing. Clearly the surface has got into a terrible state and the Highways Agency, when I met them some months ago, indicated that it had gone beyond the point of repair and patching was no longer a viable solution and the road needed to be totally resurfaced,” said the MP.

“I had anticipated later in the year, so I am pleased it has been brought forward to May. I have no doubt that this is excellent news for residents in Wellow and Plaitford who have suffered from the noise, vibration and terrible road surface,”

Highways Agency bosses say the work will be done at night starting on May 27 and is likely to take seven weeks.

No work will be done at weekends. The work will be carried out between Brickworth Corner at Whiteparish and the Ower roundabout.

Night-time diversions will be in place along A27 via Whiteparish village and Sherfield English and the A3090 while the work is carried out.

An agency spokesman said: “We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience or disruption the work will cause. The work may cause some noise, but we will do our best to minimise the impact of this on local residents by carrying out louder activities earlier in the evening.”