As part of the improvement works, the installation of sheet piles adjacent to junction 10 of the M27 will take place from Wednesday 9 April to Friday 25 April. The permitted working hours for this activity will be between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.
Examples of site works showing how the sheet pile is driven into the ground and the special machinery used.
Sheet piling involves driving long structural steel sections into the ground to create a continuous wall, a permanent structure that enables work to begin on building the earthworks for the slip roads and wing walls for the underpass under the motorway. This process can be noisy due to the heavy machinery and impact required to install the piles to the correct level.
The number of lanes on the motorway have been reduced from four to three. The lane reduction and 50mph speed limit on this section of the M27 will be in place until scheme completion late 2026.
Guide Slab Update
The formation of the guide slab is a complex operation involving 1,000m3 cubic metres of concrete - that’s equivalent to around 4,000 bathtubs of water - which was cast in three phases during February and March. The guide slab will play a critical role in ensuring the underpass can slide accurately into its final position. Please see the progress gallery for the latest image.
Work on the construction of the “box” next to and north of the motorway will become more noticeable over the next few months, with the base, walls and roof being created. This is in readiness for the sliding of the concrete box into position beneath the motorway during Christmas this year.
Cycling and Walking Facilities
As part of the M27 Junction 10 upgrade, new and improved pedestrian, cycle, and bridleway routes will be provided to connect to the wider Welborne active travel network.
The routes will be constructed:
- alongside the new highway;
- to the north and south of the motorway;
- underneath the motorway, and;
- connecting to wider routes within the Welborne development and Fareham.
Download the plan.
To safely create these new links, some existing Rights of Way will need to be temporarily, or permanently, closed or diverted.
Routes that are already closed, include:
- Footpath 89 to the north of the motorway, and;
- part of Footpath 90 along Kneller Court and underneath the motorway.
A new bridleway from Funtley Hill south of the motorway linking to Kneller Court is already completed. This route will eventually extend further east to connect to Kiln Road, providing an alternative to the existing Footpath 90.
Community Engagement
Alongside the construction of the improvement scheme itself, our project team and contractor, VolkerFitzpatrick, are working to deliver wider community benefits.
This includes:
- employing people from the local area;
- sourcing materials from local suppliers; and
- supporting community initiatives and charities through donations and voluntary work.
We are also delivering school events to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and to talk about careers in the construction industry. Site visits for pupils and students from local schools and colleges will be offered as part of this work.
In March, members of our project team attended a STEM fair at South Hampshire College Group’s Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training (CEMAST), where pupils took part in a construction challenge.