Experts have slammed a new motorway traffic project over fears “hidden costs” have caused the price of the project to spiral to almost £300million.
Earlier this month, the Department for Transport confirmed funding worth £290million for the development of the M3 J9 scheme in South Hampshire.
The road scheme aims to significantly speed up journey times, reduce the current bottleneck and save commuters and businesses hundreds of hours each week.
Modelling suggests peak time journeys through the junction to the A272 into Winchester will be almost 30 per cent faster, while journey times will be cut by 20 per cent between the M3 and A34.
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The M3 project has been slammed by experts who warn of ‘hidden costs’
PA
Despite Labour praising the scheme for improving journey times and building almost 2,000 new homes, Transport Action Network (TAN) have slammed the plans.
It described the decision as “shocking”, adding that costs have rocketed by almost a third in two years, from £215million to £290million.
TAN also highlighted how the 2,000 new homes being built will work out at £145,000 per home. The group said this was a “very expensive way of encouraging more housebuilding”.
Chris Todd, director of Transport Action Network, said: “The original figures presented to the Examination and the Secretary of State included inflation and other risks.
“So why have costs shot up by over a third to £290million in only two years? It can only be that National Highways is hiding the true cost of its schemes in order to get them approved, or is incredibly bad at its job.
“Either way it is a damning indictment of National Highways and illustrates why it should be scrapped.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander visited the site in Hampshire last week to approve the scheme, saying that it will unlock the true potential of the UK’s ports.
The project will have a huge impact on the area by ensuring journeys to Southampton and Portsmouth will be smoother and take less time.
There were no legal challenges to delay the scheme, although Chris Todd argues that the “questionable business case” should have been binned.
He added that it was “disappointing” to see the Labour Government giving the green light to what he described as a “dubious road investment”.
In its election manifesto, Labour said it would maintain and renew the UK’s road network to ensure all road users remain safe, while also tackling congestion and the scourge of potholes.
Labour identified the A27 bypass as being “poor value for money” and said it would defer the scheme and use the funding to fix an additional one million potholes across England.
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Heidi Alexander visited the M3 J9 project with National Highways traffic officers
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Todd added: “The cost increases seen here will deny much-needed investment in road maintenance and public transport elsewhere.”
GB News has contacted National Highways for a comment.