There’s just one week to go until the planned closure of the M27 motorway between Junctions 9 (Whiteley) and 11 (Fareham).
The motorway will be closed in both directions from 8pm on 24 December 2025 until 4am on 4 January 2026.
Hampshire County Council recognise this closure will cause some disruption and inconvenience, especially to people living in the local area, and thank everyone in advance for their patience whilst the work is completed.
What’s happening on site?
In recent weeks, specialist complex equipment has been arriving to support the next critical stage of the work. One of the biggest pieces is a 130-tonne crane, which has carefully lifted heavy generators, hydraulic jacks, and other essential components into position inside the new concrete underpass.
To protect the waterproof wall during the backfilling operation, teams have installed a white protective sheet to prevent damage from sharp materials. The hydraulic jacks are now in place and ready for the next phase, which will involve fitting tensioning cables as part of the box-slide operation.
Why are we closing the Motorway during the festive period?
Traffic levels are significantly lower over the Christmas holidays, which is why we’ve identified it as the best suitable time to carry out the work. However, we expect that there may still be significant delays, so please take time to plan your journeys in advance.
The motorway will close to traffic in both directions at 8pm on Christmas Eve enabling teams to begin excavating 24,000 tonnes of material (roughly 48 million boxes of chocolates).
A massive 8,500-tonne concrete box (equivalent to approximately 8.5 million Christmas trees) will be slid into place using seven specialist high-power hydraulic jacks. These jacks will push the box along using 364 steel cables (long enough to hang over 1 million Christmas lights) at a controlled pace of around 3.75 metres per hour into its final position.
This is a time-saving technique that avoids many months of weekend and overnight disruption. (watch our short animation film to see the impressive engineering that makes this project possible).
Once the new underpass is in position, the embankments will be backfilled and reinstated using approximately 6,000 tonnes of material – roughly the weight of 12 million Christmas crackers.
Finally, the motorway surface will be restored so that traffic can return to normal as soon as possible.
Our specialist teams will be working around the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week including Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Every effort is being made to complete this complex operation as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Plan ahead and check before you travel
A signed diversion will be in place, via the A27, throughout the closure period. Road users are strongly advised to plan ahead and check travel updates before setting off to avoid severe delays.
Where possible, please consider:
• Using suitable alternative routes
• Public transport
• Travelling earlier or later
• Deciding whether your journey is essential
The junctions accessible during the closure:
• Westbound exit remains open at Junction 11 (Fareham/Gosport)
• Eastbound exit remains open at Junction 9 (Whiteley/Park Gate)
• No westbound entry at Junction 11 (towards Southampton/A32)
•No eastbound entry at Junction 9 (towards Portsmouth)•
To keep traffic moving as smoothly as possible during the M27 closure, we’ve put several measures in place:
• Advance Signage: Signs are now in place across the wider road network – including the M25, M3, M4, A3, A27, and A34, to give drivers early warning and support re-routing. Traffic levels will be monitored in real time, with updates displayed on electronic road signs (Variable Message Signs).
• Traffic Signal Adjustments: signal timings will be adjusted to help manage flow during the closure on the diversion route.
• Recovery Support: Dedicated recovery teams will be on standby along the diversion route. A Temporary Traffic Regulation Order is already in place on the diversion to prevent waiting and loading.
