M27 Junction 10 slip roads to open as £100m scheme nears completion - when will it be finished?
“We are now entering the final phase of the project,” a councillor said.
Drivers will be able to join the M27 westbound and leave it eastbound at Junction 10 for the first time from next week as a £100m-plus improvement scheme moves closer to completion.
The new eastbound off-slip and westbound on-slip are due to open on Monday, October 12, completing access to and from the motorway in all directions. The latest changes follow the opening of the westbound off-slip, motorway underpass and four new roundabouts in September.
Previously, the junction only allowed limited movements, with drivers able to leave the M27 westbound or join it eastbound.
Hampshire County Council said the main construction work remained on track to finish by winter 2026, although temporary traffic restrictions would remain in place while the final work was completed. An additional lane providing access to the eastbound M27 on-slip is expected to open in early winter.
Councillor Steve Forster, the county council's cabinet lead for highways and passenger transport, said: “Our teams are continuing to work hard to finish all elements of the Junction 10 scheme, having opened the first phase in September, and I am pleased to confirm more road space will be operational on Monday, October 12.
“We are now entering the final phase of the project, with main construction work on track for completion on schedule by winter 2026. Although the scheme will be open to road users, some traffic management will remain in place while we carry out the remaining activities.
“As part of this, we continue to work closely with National Highways, who will be taking the opportunity to carry out additional safety work on the M27 ahead of the final testing and checks that are required for new or altered sections of motorway. I would like to thank residents, businesses and road users for their patience as this complex programme of works nears completion.”
Temporary speed limits and lane restrictions will remain on the M27 between junctions 9 and 11 while National Highways carries out further safety work and tests motorway technology. The restrictions are expected to stay in place until early 2027.
The new dual carriageway through the underpass, known as the A32/A3222 link road, is currently operating with one lane in each direction while landscaping and other finishing work continues.
National Highways programme manager Andrew Jackson said: “Opening these new slip roads is a key milestone in our aim to deliver smoother, safer journeys, and we continue to work closely with Hampshire County Council to support this project.
“This important scheme will stimulate economic growth across the region by supporting the building of 6,000 new homes and the creation of thousands of new jobs.”
The junction is a key part of plans for Welborne Garden Village, north of Fareham, where up to 6,000 homes, schools, community facilities and employment space are planned. No more than 1,160 homes can be occupied until the new junction, providing access in all directions, is operational.
The wider scheme will also include a shared footway and cycleway linking Fareham Common to the south with Welborne to the north.
The project is being delivered by Hampshire County Council with support from National Highways. Funding has been provided by the Buckland Group, the developer of Welborne Garden Village, and Homes England.