Portsmouth, South East Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are to benefit from almost £56m investment in active travel and public transport thanks to the UK government’s Transforming Cities fund.
The successful joint bid by Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council and local public transport operators will be matched by investment provided from each of the bidding authorities and their partners First Bus, Stagecoach, and the borough councils, totalling £101.7m.
One of the schemes in the region to receive financial support will be the development of the South East Hampshire rapid transit network. According to local operators, the network will comprise bus-priority routes and improved walking and cycling ways, aiming to better link communities in Gosport, Fareham, Havant, Waterlooville and Ryde on the Isle of Wight with Portsmouth.
Councillor Lynne Stagg, Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet member for traffic and transport, said: “This investment supports our commitment to improving air quality and will enable much-needed improvements for those travelling into and around Portsmouth, whether by foot, on a bike or via public transport.
“The public transport schemes build on the success of local rapid transit services and go a long way towards achieving our ambitious plan for a rapid transit network. We will continue to work with our partners to seek funding opportunities in addition to this welcome investment.”
A total of 23 schemes are planned to be delivered by 2023.
