M275 motorway

M275 motorway
Route information
Length:	2.0 mi (3.2 km)
Existed:	1976 – present
Major junctions
From:	Wymering
	M27 motorway
To:	Portsmouth
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones

The M275 is a 2-mile (3.2 km) long, dual three-lane motorway in Hampshire, southern England. It is the principal route for entering and leaving Portsmouth. It continues as the A3 into Portsmouth, and meets the M27 at its northern terminus. From the motorway, there are scenic views over Portsmouth harbour, and the Sails of the South between the two carriageways.

The M275 is one of few motorways in England which is not the responsibility of the Highways Agency. It is managed by Portsmouth City Council from the point where the slip roads to the M27 end. The M275 was not built with a full hard shoulder. For its entire length, a narrow verge is maintained, although there is space available for a full width shoulder. Instead, drivers are warned on entry from the A3 and M27 of the lack of hard shoulder, with signs saying "no hard shoulder for 2 miles".

History

The M275 nearing Portsmouth

The motorway was opened throughout its entire length in 1976. A junction was originally planned for a new development in the Tipner area of Portsmouth, known as the Gateway Project,^[1] which was shelved at the time. The junction's construction was abandoned primarily because planners realised that it would breach regulations that there must be a minimum of 1.25 miles (2.01 km) between motorway junctions. Before construction was halted, significant work had been carried out, including four incomplete slip roads with no road surfacing, two bridges above the site for the main roundabout, and realignment of Tipner Lane so that it served the roundabout. In 2001 the Sails of the South was unveiled close to the site of the missing junction.

In 2005 Portsmouth City Council carried out a refurbishment of the road signs at the M27 junction. New signs were stuck over the old ones but were smaller, including unusual lane illustrations, disproportionate text, lack of route information, increased difficulty to read at a long distance and used incorrect fonts on them, annoying road users and road enthusiasts.^{[citation needed]}

Plans

In 2005, the Tipner Gateway Project was resurrected along with plans for a junction. As previously, preparatory works have been carried out for the junction. Due to the regulations regarding junction spacing, the speed limit on the main carriageway of the M275 has been reduced to 60 mph (97 km/h), and 50 mph (80 km/h) on the slip roads and from the southern end of Mile End Road to the Kingston Crescent Junction. The latter junction is likely to be renamed Junction 3, with the new Tipner Junction becoming Junction 2, and the junction with the M27 being Junction 1/12 (M275 Junction 1, M27 Junction 12). Most of the road signs have been replaced and the M27/M275 interchange has been remodelled to make it easier for drivers, including splitting one lane into two, although this has meant that some of the overhead gantry signs are now redundant. Portsmouth City Council, the body responsible for the M275, intends completion of the junction by April 2014.. The junction is now proposed for a link to a large park and ride site for over 600 cars proposed alongside the junction.

Junctions

See also

• List of motorways in the United Kingdom

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to M275 motorway.

• Portsmouth City Council – M275 Tipner Scheme
• Portsmouth City Council – M275 Tipner Updates
• Pathetic Motorways – M275

v t e Motorways in the United Kingdom Great Britain M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M6 Toll M8 M9 M11 M18 M20 M23 M25 M26 M27 M32 M40 M42 M45 M48 M49 M50 M53 M54 M55 M56 M57 M58 M60 M61 M62 M65 M66 M67 M69 M73 M74 M77 M80 M90 M180 M181 M271 M275 M602 M606 M621 M876 M898 A1(M) A3(M) A38(M) A48(M) A57(M) A58(M) A64(M) A66(M) A74(M) A167(M) A194(M) A308(M) A329(M) A404(M) A601(M) A627(M) A823(M) Northern Ireland M1 M2 M3 M5 M12 M22 A8(M) Former M10 M41 M63 A18(M) A40(M) A41(M) A102(M) A6144(M) Unbuilt M12 M15 M16 M31 M64 Proposed M4 relief road Category Commons Managed motorways

Coordinates: 50°49′29″N 1°05′32″W / 50.8246°N 1.0921°W / 50.8246; -1.0921 (M275 Motorway, approximate mid-point)