PLANS for multi-million pound improvements on a busy Hampshire road are set to move a step forward.

Highway bosses have confirmed they will start looking for funding to implement major changes on Hamble Lane in a bid to ease traffic congestion.

Eastleigh MP Mims Davies has also pledged to try to secure a multi-million pound investment from the Government to fund the roadworks.

This comes after highway bosses at Hampshire County Council (HCC) unveiled plans to widen Hamble Lane.

Their proposal, which was the subject of a public consultation in September and October 2018, includes widening Hamble Lane between the Tesco access and Portsmouth Road junction to provide a third lane for southbound traffic.

According to the plans, there would also be changes to the junctions with the Tesco access and Jurdy Way.

These will include a restriction of moves at the Tesco junction to allow left-turns in and left-turns out only, with a new U-turn slip provided from Hamble Lane northbound to allow traffic to access Tesco.

A new access from the Tesco car park onto the A27 and a shared-use footway and cycleway on the eastern side of Hamble Lane have also been proposed.

According to the plans, there would be revised access arrangements to the Tesco Bursledon store.

These will include a restriction of moves from Portsmouth Road at the junction with Hamble Lane

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Cllr Rob Humby, executive member for environment and transport at HCC, said: “I will be considering a report in March on the feedback of the public consultation and to look at next steps including costs and funding. Works would need to follow Highways England’s improvements at the Windhover Roundabout, so we do not yet have a confirmed start date but this is likely to be after Summer 2021.”

As previously reported, junction 8 of the M27 is the subject of a scheme that will see the Windhover Roundabout widened and facilities improved for cyclists and pedestrians.

Ms Davies said: “I have seen first-hand how Hamble Lane becomes more clogged up each year as more developments are approved by the borough council. This opportunity has arisen as a result of my discussions with ministers, and I will be working hard with Hampshire County Council and Highways England to secure this significant funding towards improvements to Hamble Lane.”

Keith House, leader at Eastleigh Borough Council, said: “Hamble Lane is a mess of the county council’s creation. The county refused to block housing development there on traffic grounds. Hampshire has considerable cash sums taken from housing developers and now must finally get on spend this money to reduce the misery suffered by local residents.”