Stubbington bypass project takes a step forward

Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport Councillor Rob Humby will be asked to approve plans to appoint a contractor to start investigation work to progress the Stubbington bypass during a meeting next week.

Cllr Humby said: ‘Stubbington bypass represents a key part of the county council’s strategy to improve access into Gosport and Fareham to reduce congestion, improve air quality in the area and improve journey time reliability for road users.’

Investigations looking into soil conditions, unmapped underground cables and existing drainage networks will form the first phase of the scheme and, if approved, the investigation work is likely to take place over the spring and summer.

Cllr Humby added: ‘These investigations works will turn the plan into a reality, allowing the scheme to be finalised and work to start on the ground.

Campaigners waited more than 40 years for the project to be fully funded for a road that will run from Titchfield Road to Gosport Road and last year central government handed over the remaining £25.7m after a bid from the Solent LEP.

Executive leader of Fareham Borough Council Councillor Sean Woodward said: ‘Stubbington bypass is fully-funded following our bid via the Solent LEP to government and normally such road schemes are development-funded, but the pledge I made when I first proposed the bypass was that it would not be funded by development as we do not want houses on its route as that would rather defeat the object of a bypass.’

Public consultations held by the council showed 75 per cent of public support for the route.

Fareham MP Suella Fernandes said: ‘The bypass is a key piece of infrastructure for Fareham.

‘It will greatly improve the flow of traffic and ease some of the terrible congestion residents have to presently put up with.

‘I am pleased that it has now moved on to the tender process.’