Waterside Transport Strategy and Schemes

Hampshire County Council has developed a transport strategy that covers all the main modes of transport in the Waterside area of the New Forest. This builds on the adopted Waterside Interim Transport Policy of November 2017.

A public consultation was held on the draft Waterside Transport Strategy and Action Plan in July - August 2021. The feedback received through the consultation was used to refine the Strategy before its adoption at the Executive Lead Member for Transport and Environment Strategy Decision Day on Monday 7 November 2022.

The adopted Waterside Transport Strategy and Action Plan.

Background

The Waterside area is peninsular in nature with the A326 being the main road connecting the 60,000 residents and businesses in Marchwood, Hythe, Dibden, Fawley and Totton with the wider Solent and UK, with up to 30,000 vehicles travelling along parts of the corridor each day.

The Waterside area already boasts existing nationally significant infrastructure assets that have proposals for expansion and redevelopment, alongside substantial additional plans for new development, which would also have national significance.

Following a decision made in November 2020, a public engagement on a draft Waterside Transport Strategy was carried out during summer 2021. The engagement is now closed but further information is available in the Hampshire County Council Draft Waterside Transport Strategy Evidence Base.

The Waterside Strategy Research Report summarises key findings from the feedback survey which took place from 28 June to 28 August 2021. This was an opportunity for local residents and businesses to provide their views on the Waterside Strategy. You can still read the Waterside Transport Strategy Information Pack which accompanied the feedback survey.

A326 Waterside Improvements Scheme

Hampshire County Council is currently developing a major highway improvement scheme for a northerly section of the A326 in the Waterside area of New Forest District.
The study area for the scheme is between and including the Michigan Way junction in west Totton and the Main Road junction at Dibden.

The scheme will involve:

Junction capacity improvements;
Improvements for non-motorised users including new crossing facilities;
Road widening to provide additional traffic lanes; and
Environmental compensation and enhancement works.

Further information is available on the A326 Waterside Improvements scheme webpage.

Transforming Cities Fund (TCF)

In March 2020, Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council were awarded £57 million from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). The funding was for improving cycleways, footways and road crossings to help more people walk and cycle, as well as improving bus travel in the Southampton City region.

Further information on the schemes delivered through the TCF is available on the webpage.

Waterside and New Forest Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs)

The Waterside and New Forest Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIP) are strategic-level plans for the improvement of walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure across the Waterside and remaining New Forest areas respectively.

The Waterside LCWIP was adopted in November 2022, and covers the Waterside area roughly bounded by Totton in the north, the A326 in the east, Fawley and Calshot in the south, and Southampton Water in the west. This LCWIP supported the Transforming Cities Fund programme and continues to set out the County Council’s priorities for active travel improvements in the area.

The New Forest LCWIP was adopted in September 2025 and covers the remaining areas of the District and New Forest National Park. It also connects the Waterside LCWIP with the areas to the east through utility and leisure cycle routes.

All of the County Council’s LCWIPs can be found on the webpage.

Name Highways, Engineering and Transport
Email [email protected]
Phone

Address
Universal Services
Hampshire County Council
The Castle
Winchester
SO23 8UD