M27 re-open after fuel spill causes travel carnage across Hampshire – but future closures are on the horizon

THE M27 between Portsmouth and Fareham has been re-opened today after a lorry crashed and spilled fuel across the road.
M27 eastbound. Highways England.M27 eastbound. Highways England.
M27 eastbound. Highways England.

The eastbound carriageway between Junction 11 and Junction 12 has been closed since yesterday morning due to a major clean up taking place.

Highways England tweeted: ‘This #M27 J11 to J12 closure is going to be remain in place throughout the day and all night to allow resurfacing works to be carried out.’

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Hants Fire Control tweeted: ‘Crews from @Fareham17 attended an RTC this morning on the #M27 J11-12.

‘Lorry possibly suffering a blow out, hit central reservation & caused a large amount of debris to be left in the live lanes. Lorry also suffered damage to fuel tank resulting in leak of diesel.’

Katie Jerome was walking over the M27 bridge when she saw cars driving the same way down both carriageways as police tried to get all vehicles off the eastbound carriageway.

She said: ‘They seem to have a line of cars in the fast lane and moved maybe 30 cars at the same time with a police escort to come off at the Fareham junction.

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‘When they were clear they did it with another bunch of cars.

‘It was strange at first to see it but once we worked out what they were doing we were quite impressed they had come up that plan.’

One driver told The News that it had taken 90 minutes for them to move from Junction 9 to Junction 10.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: ‘There was a fuel spillage and the carriageway will remain closed as it is being resurfaced.

‘There were no injuries.’

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Motorists are being warned that there will be lane and road closures in place on the M27 and M275 this week. 

The works will be carried out by Highways England overnight starting from today. 

The closures will be in place from late evening until early morning. 

The northbound link from the M275 to the M27 westbound will be closed overnight, between 9pm and 6am, from tonight for two nights.

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A clearly signed diversion will be in place via the M27 eastbound and return.

Highways England will also be carrying out work on the M27 between junctions 11 and 12.  Work to maintain the central reservation safety barrier continues and lane closures will be in place on the M27 in both directions overnight, between 9pm and 6am, until March 22.