A335 Eastleigh Major Maintenance

Welcome to the A335 Eastleigh Major Maintenance scheme web site. The purpose of the web site is to provide local residents, businesses and all other parties with the opportunity to find out more about the planned maintenance.

This website seeks to set out the reasons why the Council is promoting the maintenance and how and when we are proposing to carry out these works.

Introduction

Objectives, Aims & Outcomes

Detailed Proposals

Traffic Management

What Happens Next

Traffic Management During Construction

Alternative Ways to Travel to Eastleigh

Introduction

The A335 is a key route between Southampton, the M27, Eastleigh Town Centre and the M3. The road runs from the M27 at Junction 5 to Eastleigh Town Centre and links major transport hubs in the area, namely Southampton Airport, Southampton Parkway Railway Station and Eastleigh Railway Station. It also provides the main access from the south to Eastleigh Town Centre. The A335 carries Annual Average Daily Traffic of approximately 18500 vehicles.

The latest tests performed on the carriageway construction have shown that according to nationally set standards, significant parts of the A335 Southampton Road and Wide Lane are close to or have passed the end of their useful life. This means that extensive maintenance works are now essential along this route.

Objectives, Aims & Outcomes

Major Maintenance will restore the carriageway, footways and drainage within the scheme to provide a high quality riding surface and improved amenities.

Carrying out the works now will avoid future ad-hoc and costly maintenance along the route, leading to frequent disruption addressing the failing carriageway and drainage.

Detailed Proposals

The scheme extends along the A335 from Romsey Road Roundabout just north of Eastleigh Railway Station to the junction with Chestnut Avenue, a total of 1.2km (3/4 miles) in length. The works are expected to take up to November to complete and are currently programmed to start on 30th June 2008.

The construction work required to achieve the desired standard includes the following:

A combination of reconstruction and resurfacing of the carriageway between Romsey Road and Chestnut Avenue – click here to view a drawing of the proposals - (PDF Document 661kb)
Resurfacing of the majority of footways and rekerbing where required.
Repair to the existing drainage between Romsey Road and Chestnut Avenue and additional drainage works between Campbell Road and Derby Road.

Given the width of the existing carriageway, it is not possible to comply with the current Health and Safety Regulations and keep traffic flowing where works are being carried out. Therefore a construction strategy has been devised to enable the carriageway works to be completed, whilst maintaining access to all premises:

The scheme has been split into three sections:

Work Section 1 – Romsey Road Roundabout to Blenheim Road

Work Section 2 - Blenheim Road to Derby Road

Work Section 3 – Derby Road to Chestnut Avenue

The contractor will only be allowed to close the road in one section at a time. These road closures inevitably result in the requirement for extensive traffic management and diversion routes for vehicles.

The scheme is estimated to cost approximately £1.3 millions.

Traffic Management

The road closures of the Work Sections detailed above must be carried out in sequence and will start at the northern end of the site on 30th June and proceed southwards, away from the Town Centre.

The proposed traffic management solution provides a temporary diversion route with consistent signing throughout, for the duration of the works.

Other works can be carried out in other sections at any time using temporary portable traffic signals.

1. Access

Pedestrian access is to be maintained at all time to all properties.

Vehicular access is to be maintained to all businesses and houses that currently have access from Southampton Road. Access to Southampton Road will always be available at both Romsey Road Roundabout and Wide Lane Roundabout, however this access may be restricted within the Work Section under closure at the time. This means that a particular destination may only be reached from one end of the works area.

Some “Key Locations” will be signposted at all times, these are Eastleigh Railway Station, all Town Centre Parking and Shops and Campbell Road.

Other major locations in the vicinity of the works, such as Southampton Airport Parkway Station or the University Sports’ ground, despite enjoying unrestricted access, may be subject to increased journey times.

As the works progress along Southampton Road, the signs providing destination information for motorists and delivery vehicles wishing to use Southampton Road will be updated.

Finally, Emergency Vehicles will be provided access at all times through the works.

2. Signed Diversion Route

For the duration of the works, traffic wishing to drive through Eastleigh or reach the Town Centre via Southampton Road will be directed along the Main Diversion Route via Stoneham Lane, Passfield Avenue, Leigh Road and Romsey Road. See map below.

Vehicles on the M3 and M27 wishing to reach Eastleigh Town Centre will be directed to use the M3 junctions 12 and 13. Additionally, Chestnut Avenue will be signed as a backup diversion between the A335 and the main diversion route at Passfield Avenue / Stoneham Lane.

Map (PDF Document 104kb)

3. More Detailed Traffic Management information

The following document details the Traffic Management for the different work phases.

Traffic management proposals have been approved by Hampshire Police, Eastleigh Borough Council, and Hampshire Highways Local Area Office.

Detailed Information. (Microsoft Word Document 30kb)

What Happens Next

The main construction work is due to commence on 30th June 2008 with Work Section 1, and the closure of Southampton Road to “Through Traffic”. The temporary closure of such a strategic access route to Eastleigh is bound to initially cause disruption and confusion to motorists.

The proposed traffic management solution provides a temporary diversion route with consistent signing throughout, for the duration of the works. As the work progress, the signs providing destination information for motorists wishing to use Southampton Road will be updated to provide appropriate destination messages.

As the works proceed, updates about progress and upcoming traffic management arrangements will be provided both locally and through this website. Additionally, a scheme liaison officer will be available to answer any questions.

Traffic Management During Construction

"Roadworks in Southampton Road, Eastleigh" - Information Leaflet. (PDF Document 376kb)

Update 31 July 2008

Works on the A335 Southampton Road, Eastleigh have been progressing for the past five weeks. The majority of works between Romsey Road roundabout and Wells Place will be finished in the next few days.

Stage 3 of the Scheme, is due to commence on Monday 4 August 08.

This involves the access to Blenheim Road and the Swan Centre to be switched from the south side of the works to the north side:-

The section from Romsey Road Roundabout to Wells Roundabout will be re-opened to traffic.
Between Wells Place and Blenheim Road the A335 will be open for access to Blenheim Road and Campbell Road. This area will be controlled by three way traffic lights in order that resurfacing works to the junction may continue.
The section between Derby Road and Blenheim Road will be closed to through traffic

Update - 22 July 2008

The works started on 30 June when Southampton Road was closed to through traffic. The diversion route has proved effective and delays have been kept to a minimum with reports that access to the Town Centre and the shops has, at times, been easier than usual. The works are progressing as programmed and are expected to move on to the section between Wells Place and Blenheim Road on 28 July.

In order to complete the works to programme and as anticipated at the planning stage, night time works are currently programmed to take place at the following locations:-

·Leigh Road Junction from 0000hrs to 0600hrs on 22 July,
·Wells Place Roundabout between 1900 and 0700 hours on 29, 30 and 31 July,
·Campbell Road from 0200hrs to 0400hrs on 1 August."

Alternative Ways to Travel to Eastleigh

Bus

Buses will be subject to diversions during the maintenance. Buses currently using Southampton Road will be diverted along Stoneham Way, Passfield Avenue and Romsey Road. Additional temporary bus stops will be installed along Passfield avenue. Additionally, a "hail and stop" shuttle bus service will be operating between Derby Road and Eastleigh Bus station. Please check with the service provider for revised timetables during the works

Blue Star http://www.bluestarbus.co.uk/

Black Velvet Travel http://www.velvetbus.info/index.html

First: http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/southwest/hampshire/home/index.php

Stagecoach http://www.stagecoachbus.com/south/

Uni-Link http://www.unilink.soton.ac.uk/

Wilts and Dorset http://www.wdbus.co.uk/

Trains

Eastleigh benefits from a centrally located railway station, providing easy access to the Town Centre. Direct services from locations including Southampton, Chandler's Ford, Portsmouth, Hedge End, Botley, Fareham, Romsey, Winchester and Salisbury run to Eastleigh on a regular basis.

Please visit South West train’s web site for more information

http://www.southwestrains.co.uk

Cycling

You may want to consider this low cost and environmentally friendly mean of transport. When using your bike, you will not be affected by the road closures.

Eastleigh Borough Council hosts a comprehensive web site on cycling

http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/ebc-1452

For general information on cycling, including information and training for new cyclists, have a look at the following web sites:

http://www.bikeforall.net/

http://www.cyclingengland.co.uk/training.php

For Information on the “Cycle to Work Scheme”, including the tax incentive “Bike Purchase Scheme” consult:

http://www.bikeforall.net/content/cycle_to_work_scheme.php