A27 Havant Bypass Completed

1988

The completion of the A27 Havant bypass removed through traffic from the town centre and provided a fast east-west route connecting Havant to Portsmouth in the west and Chichester in the east. The bypass also connected to the A3(M), providing access to the motorway network and routes northward towards London. The new road changed the character of the town centre, reducing traffic volumes and making the streets more pedestrian-friendly. The bypass improved journey times for through traffic and reduced the congestion that had affected the town's historic streets. The road also opened up land for commercial development along its route, with retail parks and business premises established near the new junctions.