A MULTI-MILLION road upgrade to improve a notorious bottleneck has just commenced following approval by Hampshire Transport bosses.

Newgate Lane South, which will connect Newgate Lane in Fareham to the Peel Common Roundabout near Hillhead, will ease congestion between Fareham and the Gosport peninsular.

The £9.5m scheme will develop a more direct road with increased capacity that will improve access to the Gosport peninsula and Fareham.

The existing road carries more than 24,000 vehicles per day, and councillors claim it is a serious bottleneck.

Funding for the project has been obtained through the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Fareham Borough Council Sean Woodward, who is also an LEP director, said: “The link is essential to be able to completely alleviate problematic bottlenecks between Fareham and Gosport.

“I made sure that Newgate was a top priority when I was executive member for transport to get addressed so I am looking forward to seeing how the work progresses.”

The one-mile stretch of road should be completed in June 2018.

Under the plans, the new single lane carriageway will run from the Junction with Tanners Lane near HMS Collingwood, running south, adjacent to the existing road towards the Peel Common roundabout in Fareham.

The road being replaced will become a cycle route and public access road which will be blocked at the Peel Common roundabout end.

Councillor Chris Wood, who represents Stubbington on Fareham Borough Council, said: “It’s a huge investment in local infrastructure that is essential for the area.

“The project will not only reduce traffic out of Fareham on Newgate Lane by a third but it will also reduce southbound queues in the evening for those heading out to Gosport and reduce flow in Stubbington village.”

The project comes as part of a multi-million-pound package of investment into Hampshire road including improvements to Newgate Lane, Peel Common roundabout, St Margaret’s Roundabout and the A27 towards Segensworth roundabout.