Councillors in Havant have approved a £2.8million contribution to a project to replace the current footbridge over the railway line at Havant station.
At tonight’s full council meeting (31st July), members voted in favour of supporting the Hampshire County Council led scheme to replace the footbridge between Elmleigh Road and North Street (Market Parade).
The current bridge was built in 1947, and as well as reaching the end of its structural life, it does not fully meet the needs of wheelchair users, cyclists or pedestrians.
While Havant Borough Council (HBC) will contribute £2.8million from its Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) fund, Hampshire County Council (HCC) will provide the remaining £7.2million needed for the scheme and will lead on delivering the new bridge.
Havant station is the fourth busiest station in Hampshire with more than 1.8m passengers a year using it. A pedestrian survey carried out by HCC in April 2024 recorded more than 1,650 people using the station daily.
Councillors were presented with alternative options, including doing nothing or HBC solely funding the project, but determined that the joint project with HCC was the most cost-effective and likely to deliver a bridge that best meets the needs of commuters and the wider community.
Councillor Gillian Harris, the Cabinet Lead for Regeneration and Communities, said: “This collaboration with Hampshire County Council provides us with a much-needed opportunity to secure a new facility for Havant, as well as ensuring maximum value for money in a project of this scale.
“Our ambition as a council is to make it as safe and easy as possible for all members of our community to use public transport. We also want to ensure that all facilities in the borough are as accessible as they can be, and we hope this bridge will make life easier for everyone travelling in our borough.
“The new footbridge will form part of our plans to regenerate Havant town centre and we look forward to working with other partners and landowners to further improve the street scene in this area.”
Leader of Havant Borough Council, Councillor Phil Munday, said: “We are disappointed that one of our first decisions as a new council was to pause the Warblington footbridge project, due in part to limited funds and resources.
“However, we believe supporting the project for Havant footbridge – an important amenity for the town – is an appropriate use of funds and resources to urgently improve both accessibility and the look of our town.”