High praise from politicians for 'smooth' Stubbington Bypass after test drive
MOTORISTS are in for a treat when the Stubbington Bypass opens, according to those who have already been for a test drive.
MPs and councillors have been among the first to drive along the new Stubbington Bypass, which connects Gosport Road to Titchfield Road, with a new junction on the A27.
The bypass is still technically under construction - and not due to open for the public until May - but a road surface has been built and MPs Caroline Dinenage and Suella Braverman, plus councillors Sean Woodward and Rob Humby, have given it a test drive.
Cllr Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: 'The road surface is 95 per cent complete and I think people will be pleased to know that it's a very smooth and pleasant drive along the bypass.
'It was great to see it being put together - this is the final piece in a £100m jigsaw puzzle for the Solent's road network and I was delighted to drive along and see what it was like.
'This will provide much better access between Gosport, Stubbington and the A27, and I look forward to it opening.'
Alongside Cllr Woodward, Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage was a prominent campaigner for the bypass.
She said: 'Twelve years ago I was told we were unlikely to ever see a new Gosport access road - because the peninsula was “strategically unimportant”. After a decade of campaigning and working with partners to secure the funding, it’s really exciting to see this road nearing completion.
'It was great to be one of the first people to drive the 3.5km Stubbington Bypass, ahead of its opening at the end of May.
'There’s no silver bullet to solving congestion on the Gosport peninsula, but the £42m Stubbington Bypass, part of over £100m invested into improved access, will help improve journey times and drive investment.’
The £100m encompasses the array of roadworks that have taken place in the peninsula over the past few years.
This includes the construction and recent extension of the Eclipse busway, a dedicated bus and cycle only section highway route that runs parallel to the A32 between Gosport and Fareham, and work to improve both Newgate Lane and the A32.