SOME of Hampshire’s worst traffic bottlenecks could be cleared thanks to £209 million in funding over the next three years.

Plans for a number of projects designed to relieve congestion, improve safety and shorten journey times as well as unlock economic growth across the county, were approved by the county council’s transport portfolio holder Councillor Rob Humby.

Almost half of the cash, £100 million, will be spent on seven major projects.

Six of these are expected to start in 2018/19, providing additional grants from Local Enterprise Partnerships are confirmed.

These include:

A £19.6 million project at Junction 9 of the M27 in Fareham;

£9.5 million scheme in Newgate Lane South, Fareham;

£2.5 million upgrade of Redbridge Lane roundabout, at Nursling, Southampton.

Other major schemes are the A30 Thorneycroft roundabout, in Basingstoke which is set to receive £7.6million of improvements, the £4.5 million A325 integration scheme at scheme Whitehill and Bordon, and an £8 million project on “the Farnborough Corridor”.

The seventh scheme includes the long-awaited £34 million Stubbington Bypass project, which is subject to the approval of an £8.5million government grant.

It is hoped works on the bypass could start in the next three years.

Road and bridge maintenance – including repairing potholes – accounts for most of remaining £108 million with £1 million to be spent the county’s flood risk and coastal defence programme.

The county council is also working closely with the Environment Agency to harness further national funding so efforts can be concentrated where they are needed most.

Councillor Carolyn Heneghan, who represents Stubbington on Fareham Borough Council, said: “I won’t believe the Stubbington bypass is happening until they are ‘spade ready’.”

“I have heard residents say they have been living here for 40 years and that there were mentions of the bypass pass 40 years ago. How long do we have to wait for it?”

Councillor Humby added: “Although we have to make some difficult decisions about where to prioritise resources, we are acutely aware that Hampshire’s highway network is critical to the economic success of Hampshire – which is a significant contributor to the national economy."

The budget will need to be approved by cabinet on Friday and before the final go-ahead is given at a full council meeting on February 16.

Simon Letts, Southampton City Council’s leader, said he welcomed the investment but added: “It should be noted however that this investment would be so much greater if the Hampshire County Council could put aside its objections and sign up to the Solent Devolution Deal, which has the potential to generate investment of over a billion pounds for our area and deliver real improvements to roads and public transport.”