There appears to be some confusion about the impact of the new M3 Junction 9 project (Chronicle, September 28). 

For clarification, the proposal produced by National Highways (formerly Highways England) and submitted to the Government at the end of last year includes the following:

1) Traffic increases. As the new junction will be faster to pass through, National Highways are forecasting that, once the project is completed, more vehicles will use the M3/A34 rather than use existing routes from the South Coast. At peak times, this would mean approximately 20 per cent more traffic flowing onto the A34. The impact of this increased traffic, including the accompanying increase in noise and light pollution, would be permanent.

2) Increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Whilst emissions from traffic queueing at the junction will reduce, the analysis found that this is more than offset by the increase in emissions from HGVs and other vehicles switching to using the M3/A34 as their route north.

3) Air quality issues. Construction is anticipated to last three years during which time a variety of traffic restrictions will be in place around the junction including occasional full carriageway closures, when traffic will be diverted through Winchester. During construction the dust risk potential of the Scheme is classified as ‘high’, and air quality will be further impacted when traffic is diverted through the city.

4) Questionable economic benefit. National Highways evaluated the initial cost benefit of the scheme as 1.44 i.e. every £1 invested would deliver £1.44 in economic benefits. However, since the report was prepared, the estimated construction cost has increased by 45 per cent to £210million. In other words, the scheme will now deliver less economic benefit than it costs to implement!

I hope this helps to clarify some of the concerns. This is a National Infrastructure project meaning that the project is being led by the UK Government (through National Highways) i.e. neither Winchester City Council nor Hampshire County Council are managing the scheme. However, both councils have a responsibility to stand up for local residents who will be affected by the plans both in the short-term (during construction) and for the longer-term.

Cllr Malcolm Wallace,
Winchester city councillor for Central Meon Valley,
Forest Road, 
Swanmore

Send letters by email to letters@hampshirechronicle.co.uk or by post to Editor, Hampshire Chronicle, 5 Upper Brook St, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8AL.

All letters and e-mails must include full names and addresses (anonymous letters will not be published), although these details may be withheld from publication, on request.

Letters of 300 words or less will be given priority, although all are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, space, or legal requirements. We reserve the right to edit letters.