Today, the Secretary of State for Transport made a decision on the Public Inquiry into the Stubbington Bypass, confirming that the Stubbington Bypass will go ahead!
The Inquiry, held in November 2018, was looking at the Compulsory Purchase of Land Order and the Side Roads Order, further to an objection by a member of the public.
Local MP, Caroline Dinenage, a strong campaigner for improved access to the Gosport peninsula, has welcomed the news.
“I am delighted that this much-needed road improvement project will be delivered. The Stubbington Bypass is a critical part of the solution to our area’s traffic problems, which is why I have campaigned for investment in the project ever since I was first elected.
This new strategic route is essential to meet the needs of long-suffering residents and commuters, who put up with terrible congestion on a daily basis. It will transform connectivity of the Solent Enterprise Zone and the wider Gosport peninsula, breaking down a key barrier to our area’s economic regeneration.”
The Bypass scheme involves a package of transport infrastructure improvements including:
- A new 3.5km long single carriageway road that will run south of Fareham and north and east of Stubbington, bypassing the existing B3334 through Stubbington;
- New junctions at either end of the Bypass and at Peak Lane;
- Junction and link improvement works at either end of the bypass on B3334 Titchfield Road and B3334 Gosport Road;
- Supporting highway improvement works in Stubbington village; and
- New / improved / modified facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
Since becoming elected, Caroline has tirelessly lobbied for this investment and has prioritised tackling road congestion problems in the Gosport constituency. Over the years she has welcomed numerous Transport Ministers to the area to make the case for road investment. In 2016, she held high-level meetings with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which helped secure the £19.7m Government funding package for the preliminary bypass work. This secured planning permission and additional road improvements in the Gosport & Fareham area.
In February 2017 the Government confirmed that it would provide the funding necessary to complete the long-awaited Stubbington Bypass. Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid MP, announced the Local Growth Deal allocations to Local Enterprise Partnerships up and down the country. The Solent LEP receiving £31.02 million, providing sufficient funds to build the Stubbington Bypass.
