PLANS to install traffic lights on three of four routes on a busy Hampshire roundabout have been approved in a bid to end traffic misery and boost a new enterprise zone.

Road boss Cllr Sean Woodward rubber stamped plans on Tuesday to forge ahead with a £3.2m plan to upgrade for Peel Common Roundabout near Gosport.

Work is set to go ahead later this year.

This is latest part of a number of schemes to be set in motion, which includes a Stubbington bypass, all of which are designed to reduce traffic delays between Gosport and Fareham.

It is being funded by the Solent Local Enterprise Fund and forms the second phase of improvements to the Newgate Lane corridor.

As well as improving access to Gosport, the road improvements also seek to boost access to the Solent Enterprise Zone at former HMS Daedalus site, where it is hoped hundreds of skilled jobs will be created.

Speaking after deciding to press forward with the roundabout plans, Cllr Woodward said: "This is part of an exciting and necessary package of improvements to improve access to Gosport and to be able to improve the road system to the M27, both westwards and eastwards.

"After this we hope to build a new southern section of Newgate Lane. We are already improving the northern section.

"Hopefully Peel Common roundabout will cease to be the bottleneck it is at the moment.

"What we want to do is uncork every one of the bottles if you like, from Gosport to the M27."

The roundabout upgrade plan has won the approval of 85 per cent of residents who were consulted and was also backed by local councillors, including Ukip councillor Chris Wood, who represents Fareham Crofton and Labour Gosport councillor Shaun Cully.

Cllr Cully said: " I think it's heavily needed and I do believe it needs to be controlled by traffic lights or we won't get the flow off the roundabouts that we are looking for to ease the congestion, particularly in Rowner Road.

"In the long run it will be benefit the residents I represent and I fully support it."