M3 Junction 9 Improvements Update

Why we need this scheme

Junction 9 of the M3 connects south Hampshire with London, the Midlands and the North.

It is also part of a key freight route.

Roughly 6,000 vehicles an hour use it during peak periods and it currently creates a bottleneck that causes significant delays throughout the day.

Traffic is particularly heavy between the M3 and the A34 with frequent queues on the northbound off-slip of the M3 which are a safety risk during peak periods. To reduce the queues there is more green time allocated to the traffic lights on the northbound off-slip of the M3 and the A34 link. This amended sequencing, in turn, causes lengthy queues on A272 Spitfire Link and Easton Lane during the morning and evening peak periods.

Aims

This new proposed layout aims to improve safety by reducing queuing and delays, reducing the number of people affected by noise, improving air quality and helping non-motorised users – it would connect National Cycle Network Route 23 which is severed by the current layout.

Progress report

Highways England ran a public consultation in summer 2019 which showed widespread support, and some concerns.

Following feedback from that and the earlier summer 2018 consultation, and updated traffic modelling, Highways England are reviewing their original proposals.

What’s next?

From mid-June they’ll be doing surveys on the land around junction 9 to see what protected species are in the area and what they need to do to minimise the impact of the work on them.

Most of the surveys will take place in June and July, but some surveys have to take place at other times of year, depending on the species.

Timeline

Date	Event
January / February 2018	Options consultation
July 2018	Preferred route announcement
July to August 2019	Design consultation
Spring 2020	Report on 2019 consultation due to be published
Autumn 2020	Planned Consultation on revised proposals

Summarised from the Highways England website where the project page has recently been updated and where you can find a diagram of the currently planned layout.
See https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/m3-junction-9-improvements

This item was submitted to the July 2020 issue of the Compton & Shawford Parish Magazine