Work begins on A27 Cams Hill bus lane in Portchester and Fareham which is causing severe traffic delays

Workers have started creating the public transport route which runs through Portchester and Fareham, with a temporary road layout set up on the A27 in the Cams Hill area. A single lane closure will be imposed on Delme roundabout and duel carriageway – with the area coned off.

The Hampshire County Council scheme involves creating a bus lane on the eastern side of the Delme roundabout; building a two-way segregated cycle lane adjacent to the westbound carriageway; improving the southern footpath, for pedestrians and cyclists, to the south of the cycle lane; converting the pedestrian crossing Cams Hall Estate junction into a toucan crossing; widening the northern footway to create a shared-use path between St Catherines Way and the Downend Road junction and providing cyclist access to the Cams Hill service road on the northern side of the A27, linking to a shared-use path to the east.

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The project is funded by a share of the £56 million cash injection – given to HCC, Portsmouth City Council and Isle of Wight Council – by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund. While the closure is in place, a single lane will stay open on both the Delme Roundabout and the M27 Slip Road approach to it with restrictions in place between 7pm and 6am.

Mildren Construction Ltd, contracted by Hampshire County Council, have started the first phase of removing the central reservation between Cams Hall Estate and the junction with Downend Road and Shearwater Avenue, with a single lane only being open in east and westbound directions. The project is due to be completed in Autumn of 2024 – with the project being worked on between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

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As a result of the daytime closures, motorists have told The News that traffic has become unbearable and the works are causing severe delays.

Pedestrian crossings and footpaths remain accessible during the project, with any modifications to them being clearly signposted. The council said some changes to work patterns will take place over the Christmas period to reduce restrictions to drivers.

The first phase of the scheme is due to finish in the Spring of 2024, when the second phase – involving drainage and kerb works – starting afterwards.