THE A303 eastbound near Andover will be closed this weekend as work to maintain three bridges along the road continues.

Drivers are being reminded to plan their journeys as the A-road will be closed from the A343 Hundred Acre junction to the A3093 Picket Twenty junction from 9pm on Friday 3, November (tonight) until 6am on Monday 6, November.

Diversions will be signposted via the A343 towards Charlton to re-join the A303 at the Picket Twenty junction.

The maintenance work will involve replacing waterproof material under the carriageway and resurfacing the road over the Picket Twenty bridge.

This follows work earlier this year on two other bridges over the A303.

Highways England project sponsor Gemma Luckhurst said: “Maintaining these three bridges will prolong the life of the structures and provide the 60,000 drivers that use this section of the A303 each day with safer and more reliable journeys for years to come.

“We have planned the work carefully and by carrying out the work on the three bridges at the same time we hope to minimise the overall disruption.”

Highways England is expecting the route to be "extremely busy" and alternative routes using the M5, M4, A35 and A31 will be signed further afield for long distance drivers travelling between the West Country and the London/South East area.

There will also be another weekend closure from Friday 1 December at 9pm, until Monday 4 December at 6pm, for the A303 westbound depending on the weather.

For updates on the scheme visit www.roads.highways.gov.uk or call the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.