Quay Street Roundabout
Quay Street Roundabout | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
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Location | |||
Fareham | |||
County | |||
Hampshire | |||
Highway Authority | |||
Hampshire | |||
Junction Type | |||
Banana | |||
Roads Joined | |||
A27, A32 | |||
Junctions related to the A32 | |||
The Quay Street Roundabout is where the A27 and the A32 merge in Fareham, a significant local traffic hotspot as it is where the majority of traffic leaves to head towards Gosport. It is often referred to as Market Quay Roundabout after the name of the area surrounding it.
It is most well-known for featuring a single-lane and single-direction flyover for traffic heading west along the A27. It was opened in 1986 as part of a package of works to free up the flow of traffic leaving Gosport, in the absence of a new road to the M27. It is often criticised for not carrying eastbound traffic, but the A27 carries relatively little traffic. Even so, Hampshire County Council noted that an eastbound flyover would be needed one day, and that a total redesign should be tied in to the regeneration of Fareham Market over the following 20 years. The flyover runs parallel to a railway viaduct, which is almost exactly 100 years older.
In the absence of any planned improvements, the junction became the main barrier to a former foundry being re-developed, as it had been eyed-up by Tesco. Tesco eventually funded the signalisation and construction of a through-route for A32 northbound traffic, as well as several new pedestrian crossings.
The Tesco site occupied a brownfield site adjacent to the roundabout, and concern was raised over how many constraints the junction now had when it comes to further improvements, with housing, the sea and two viaducts already making things difficult.
History
Quay Street and Hartlands Road originally met Gosport Road immediately south of the railway bridge. This can be seen in the alignment of Upper Wharf and the wide footway next to the junction (this has now been used to create a filter lane as part of the 2011 improvements).
In the 1960s, a one way system was created with Quay Street running southbound only and Hartlands Road/Portland Street northbound only. In 1971, Eastern Way opened, and an additional link road was built to serve it, creating an early roundabout. There was a building yard in the middle of it.
A few years later, Western Way was built, and the roundabout was cleared and shifted northwards slightly to meet it. In 1986, the flyover was added.
Routes
Route | To | Notes |
Portsmouth, Southampton (M27), Alton (A32), Wickham, Portchester, Fareham industrial parks | ||
Sarisbury, Titchfield, station | ||
Gosport, Stubbington, Lee-on-the-Solent (B3385), Newgate Lane industrial parks | ||
Town Centre | ||
Superstore, Police Station | No HGVs |