Hampshire County Council is set to resume construction work on its main infrastructure schemes including its road and flood prevention projects.
Clearance work is currently under way on the £34.5 million Stubbington bypass scheme and preparations are now being made to resume construction from mid-May. Getting the construction work underway will see more work taking place on the existing roads again as well as earthworks to form the new road and drainage features.
Work will also resume by mid-May on the £9 million improvements to Thornycroft Roundabout in Basingstoke. Capacity improvements for this roundabout are now due to be completed early in 2021. When works resume they will focus on completing drainage improvements and utility diversions.
Main construction works are also due to commence in June on the £23 million project to improve the M27 at Junction 9 and Parkway South roundabout in Whiteley, and the £11.6 million Eclipse Busway Completion of Phase 1 scheme in Gosport.
Construction work is also set to resume on the Hut Hill off-road cycle/pedestrian route, linking Chandlers Ford with Chilworth and work to improve cycle links along Test Lane, Redbridge. Both projects are the result of a successful joint bid by Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council to the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund for schemes that promote more walking, cycling and use of public transport.
Councillor Rob Humby, Deputy Leader of Hampshire County Council and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment, said: “Contractors will be following national guidelines on social distancing at all times and there is no reason to anticipate any contact at all with members of the public. We have been prioritising emergency and safety related highway works over recent weeks to manage our supply of materials and to ensure both the safety of our staff and of Hampshire residents. Now that the supply chain is starting up again, and we have confidence that effective social distancing can be achieved, work will be restarting on most sites shortly.
“It is ever more important we remain ready to deliver these schemes to support the economic recovery of the whole of Hampshire, once we are through the worst of the Coronavirus pandemic.”
All work on Hampshire’s roads is carried out in line with the Construction Leadership Council’s Site Operation Procedures, which is based on Public Health England guidance.
