A HAMPSHIRE community is bracing itself for further chaos this week when a major road bridge going though their village is expected to close again.

The A3057 Romsey Road Bridge will close from Friday August 5 to Sunday August 7 two weeks after workmen had to close the bridge for a whole weekend.

Diversions were put in place as the bridge was closed as part of a multi-million pound project to replace the 42-year old bridge.

Similar diversions are expected to be enforced but it is not yet known when the closures will take place, or if they will be overnight.

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.

A spokesman for Highways England said this was a planned “contingency closure” to finish off work which took place two weeks ago.

But despite signs being up warning about the closures the spokesman added: “It’s not 100 per cent guaranteed that it will take place. If it doesn’t take place [the signs are] an advance warning that there will be a closure. It looks likely that there will be one.”

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 Romsey Advertiser understands there are plans to reduce the width of the bridge by half.