CHANCELLOR George Osborne visited Southampton's docks today to formally announce an extra £27m of funding for projects in the Solent.
The money includes £1.4m which will go towards vital repair work at the Millbrook roundabout to ensure access to the Port for heavy goods vehicles.
Mr Osborne took a tour round port-based business Solent Stevedores and the fruit and vegetable terminal during his visit.
He also tried his hand at the wheel of a huge digger used to move grain around in another terminal at the site.
His visit marked the formal handover of another £27m to the region, on top of £124.8m announced in a Regional Growth Deal with the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership last year.
The extra cash will help repair Millbrook roundabout, fund road improvements in Fareham and Gosport and build a new National Maritime Systems Centre of Excellence in Portsmouth.
It is also designed to boost skills, particularly in science, technology and engineering, and could create 1,000 jobs.
During the visit Mr Osborne said: “All of these things are going to help bring more jobs to the area, more investment to the area and improve the economy as part of our plan to deliver a truly national economy.”The new funding means Regional Growth Funding could create up to 6,000 jobs over the next six years in the region, and Mr Osborne continued: “It's part of a plan that is creating a huge pool of employment in this area.
“That has got to continue.”
Referring to the General Election, due to take place in May, he added: “There is going to be a huge choice here in Southampton.”
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