A COUNTY councillor has agreed to continue the authority’s strategy on securing funding for major transport infrastructure.

Rob Humby, the executive member for environment and transport, said: “The county council has an established track record of having the right designs and detail developed when funding rounds from local enterprise partnerships and the Government come along. This forward thinking has secured millions of pounds in recent years for infrastructure improvements which have established Hampshire as an attractive proposition for business investment while at the same time ensuring quality of life and retaining a sense of place for the people who live here.

“The county council has proven it has the scale, capacity and expertise to take advantage of infrastructure investment opportunities across Hampshire, such as the new relief road currently being built to support the regeneration of Whitehill and Bordon and the bus rapid transit route between Fareham and Gosport which has seen more than seven million passenger journeys since it opened in 2012.

“It’s a competitive process to win money to improve transport infrastructure and it can take a great deal of planning and work with partners, such as the district councils and the local enterprise partnerships, to ensure that the schemes we put forward stand out and truly benefit the community.”

Mr Humby added: “Our overall aim is to make sure we have the funding in place so the whole of Hampshire has a transport network fit for the 21st Century for residents and businesses alike.”

There are a number of schemes in various stages of development and implementation, designed to retain Hampshire’s unique quality while keeping traffic moving as businesses and housing numbers grow. Schemes across Hampshire include tackling congestion around Basingstoke and helping plan a transport network for the future to accommodate planned growth, protecting and growing supporting Farnborough’s strong economy, and the Whitehill and Bordon relief road to facilitate the town’s regeneration.