'Crackpot rapid bus plan won't see light of day'
PLANS for a new rapid bus link to ease traffic congestion have today been slammed by councillors.
Hampshire County Council is bidding for 20m of government cash to build the bus link between Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth.
But the proposed scheme, which uses Gosport's old railway line, has come in for criticism.
It has been branded a waste of money and an inferior alternative to the 200m Light Rapid Transit scheme, which was previously turned down by the government.
This would have seen a tram system linking Fareham, Gosport and under the harbour to Portsmouth.
Lib Dem county councillor Peter Chegwyn said the bus plan would have little impact on solving Gosport's gridlocked A32 – voted the local worst road in a News poll.
'I just don't think a bus route is the solution to Gosport's transport problems,' he said.
'This is just a way of trying to deflect attention from the real problem here, which is the A32.
'I think this is a crackpot scheme and they will spend millions on it, but it will never see the light of day.'
Gosport Tory Councillor Peter Langdon added: 'It is a cheap alternative to the Light Rapid Transit scheme.
'I don't think it will provide the fast modern transport to relieve the huge congestion that we are going to see with all the development in the area over the coming years.'
The current plan is for 30 large buses to set off from Gosport Bus Station at seven-and-a-half-minute intervals.
They will drive along the old railway track to Fareham train station, where they will join the M27 and travel through to Horsea Island.
The county council has submitted only very basic plans to the government.
Officers are waiting to hear whether they have been given the green light for detailed proposals.
If it gets the go-ahead, the scheme is unlikely to be finished before 2016.
The bus scheme is one of 15 transport projects put forward by the South East England Regional Assembly as part of a 124m bid to relieve traffic congestion.
Also on the cards is a 35m junction on the M275 to support the Tipner redevelopment.
The county council was unavailable to comment on the plans.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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