Portsmouth City Council recently completed major improvement works at this key junction in the city centre. The changes will now make it easier for buses and other traffic to travel into and out of the city centre. These include:
- The bus lane on Mile End Road now extends back to the roundabout. This makes it easier for buses to travel into and out of the city centre from Stamshaw.
- The northbound lane onto the M275 is now wider. This lets traffic exit over two lanes instead of one, which will reduce congestion at busy times.
- The road is now resurfaced, and lane markings are improved. This makes it clearer and safer for drivers to travel through the roundabout.
- People riding bikes now join the road on Twyford Avenue and Mile End Road further away from the junction. This makes them more visible to drivers, making the paths safer for people using them.
These improvements are in line with the council’s plan to help people make greener, healthier, and better-connected journeys across Portsmouth. A small amount of further work to improve the road surface will follow next year.
It’s hoped that, over time, these changes will encourage people to leave the car at home and choose public transport, cycling or walking. This will make it quicker and easier for everyone to travel around the city, and will help reduce traffic, improve people’s health and wellbeing, and make the air cleaner.
As part of this work, it was necessary to remove some trees and bushes. But to replace them, the council will prepare sites around the roundabout for new trees, wildflowers, and other green elements to be planted in spring next year. This will make the area more pleasant for everyone travelling through it.
The works are the first element of the South East Hampshire Rapid Transit (SEHRT) project to be completed in Portsmouth. This is a wider project to improve transport links between Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham, Waterlooville, Havant, and Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
When all improvements are complete, people will be able to use a network of rapid transit routes to get them where they want to be. These improvements aim to make bus journeys more reliable and connected to rail and ferry services.
This work will complement investment through the Bus Service Improvement Plan and government funding for zero emission buses. This involves developing simpler and cheaper ticket options, changes to timetables and introducing electric buses. Together, these improvements will make travel by bus simpler, easier, and quicker for people and a make a significant contribution to moving towards Net Zero as the council tackles the climate emergency that was declared in 2019.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation at Portsmouth City Council said:
“Rudmore Roundabout, is an important junction at the entrance to Portsmouth, so it’s key that we improve journey times here. We want to make catching the bus, walking, cycling, or renting an e-scooter or bike the preferred option for people when travelling across the city. If we can encourage more people to choose healthier and greener travel options, this will reduce traffic and improve our air quality.”
More improvements to walking, cycling and bus routes are planned in other areas of Portsmouth next year.
Find out more about this and other SEHRT projects at www.sehrt.org.uk.