M27 junction upgrade set to open ahead of schedule

A major motorway upgrade expected to carry about 30,000 vehicles a day is set to open months earlier than planned.

The improved M27 Junction 10 in Hampshire will begin opening in phases from 14 September, with new slip roads, an underpass and four roundabouts coming into use.

The scheme will eventually provide full access to and from the motorway in both directions and is seen as key to unlocking up to 6,000 planned homes.

At a cost of more than £100m, the project was originally due to open to traffic in winter 2026.

It has been brought forward following what Hampshire County Council described as an accelerated delivery programme.

Cabinet member for highways Steve Forster said: "The new junction and link roads will improve journeys to and from the motorway network in the short term and support the growth of Welborne Garden Village."

The first phase will include the new westbound off-slip road, motorway underpass and four roundabouts. The eastbound and westbound on-slips are expected to open later in the autumn.

Once complete, the upgraded junction will create direct links, via the A3222, between the motorway and Fareham, Wickham, Whiteley, Southampton and Portsmouth.

Forster said the scheme was "a great example of how investment in the right infrastructure can enable sustainable growth".

A key feature of the scheme is a new motorway underpass installed during the Christmas period using a "box slide" technique.

The 60m-long (197ft) concrete structure was moved 65m (213ft) into position beneath the M27.

Temporary speed limits and lane restrictions between Junctions 9 and 11 will remain in place until winter 2026 while safety testing and final works continue.

The opening remains subject to the completion of final work to connect the new road layout to the existing network during the weekend of 12 and 13 September.