Awaiting Developments - 17 May 2020

Overlooking Henry Cort Way at the junction with Redlands Lane, the current northernmost extent of the dedicated busway section of Eclipse, is a rather pointed sign pleading the case for government funding for the extension onwards to Fareham station.

As it happens, I support that extension but at the same time I challenge why it was not built in the first place. As a non-aligned observer of politics and of human behaviour I can dissect the sign rather forensically. The top line emphasises the short distance to be covered by the extension. 'Government funding required' is a blatant enough plea - likely to fall on deaf ears in the current climate - but the 'Key bus/rail interchange' is somewhat disingenuous. Fareham railway station is, in fact, some considerable way west of the main bus station which underlines an issue which should have been addressed in Phase 1 of this much watered down project, which opened in April 2012. Originally mooted as a light rail scheme - given the then existence of the surviving track along much of the route from Fareham to Gosport - it was then downgraded to guided busway then further to a dedicated roadway which connects neither to the centre of Gosport nor, as stated, to Fareham station.

In this picture, the view is broadly north towards Fareham station and of the now largely overgrown embankment and bridge across Redlands Lane. Henry Cort Way (left) leaves the former alignment at this location to join the inadequate Redlands Lane.

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