FOLLOWING weeks of traffic disruption at the northern end of Bordon, the A325 has now re-opened as the first phase of the town’s new relief road is complete.

Hampshire county councillor Adam Carew, who is also a town and district councillor, welcomed the milestone and said that motorists will be “overjoyed”.

“The first phase of the relief road is part of the Homes and Communities Agency’s delivery of Louisburg Barracks, which will see 500 new homes, a new Future Skills Centre, a new Business and Enterprise Centre and further employment sites delivered,” he added.

“I visited the site at the end of the summer with (town) councillors Mark Davison and Ian Georgii.

“Work has not been affected by Brexit and is on schedule.

“We were all very impressed with the progress on the northern section of the relief road. Reopening the A325 road over Broxhead will avoid the need for diversions via Lindford.”

Mr Carew has long been concerned about the environmental mitigation associated with the town’s regeneration, not least with the delivery of the road.

“As an ecologist, I was keen to look at the wildlife measures in place,” he said.

A badger tunnel had been put in place, he said, but was cleared of sand following heavy rain. The collapse of sand will not happen when the bank is vegetated.

A single-hole outlier set, which stands some yards from the line of the relief road, was being monitored daily by an ecologist on watching brief, he added.

He said: “There was no sign of recent usage and a one-way door was in place to allow exit should a badger be using it. In addition, a camera was in place to monitor any night time activity and we understand this has been done.

“A further retention pond was viewed by myself and Mr Davison - it was a good size and will only contain water when it rains.  

“In times of floods (about once in 15 years) there is an overflow pipe set a few metres up. We questioned if there were filters in place before the water fed into Oxney Drain, given the importance of Oxney Moss and the Oakhanger stream.

“We were told that they expect so. We thought the site was well managed and very clean.

“I believe residents will be very relieved to get back to normal with regards to the A325,” he said. “However, work will begin shortly on the southern section of the relief road from Whitehill following the route of the old railway.  

“It is essential this heritage is recorded before it changes and I believe the county council’s archaeologist has this in hand.”

Phase one of the relief road comprises of 0.6 miles of road through Louisburg Barracks and connecting with the A325 in the north.

There are three new roundabouts along the relief road - two within the site of the barracks to provide access to the new development areas to the north and south of the road and the third connecting the new road with the existing A325.

Work on the two-mile southern section of the relief road (phase two) is now under way.

Once completed, Hampshire County Council said the £27m bypass will provide a “free flowing alternative” to the A325 and relieve traffic congestion; will provide access to the new housing developments; will reduce traffic on the existing A325, and will reduce community severance currently created by the A325.