DfT, pull the plug on the A326 scheme

The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently considering whether to grant provisional funding for a controversial Hampshire County Council (HCC) road project in the New Forest. However, with a major part of the road scheme’s justification falling through, the DfT should be left with a straightforward decision. The question is, will they adapt to the current situation and say no to the A326, or will they remain fixed on more road building?  

The proposed scheme

The A326 Waterside Improvements scheme includes a massive double roundabout to provide access to a planned development at Dibden Bay on the Southampton Water (rebranded as ‘Solent Gateway 2’). Dibden Bay is an internationally important Ramsar site for birds (including rare Black Tailed Godwits, pictured, and Ringed Plover), a Special Protection Area and SSSI. A previous national campaign to save Dibden Bay from port expansion was successful in 2004. However, in September 2025 Associated British Ports (ABP) announced plans for another development at the bay, Solent Gateway 2, this time as a multi-storey car park for imported cars! 

HCC claimed in their planning application for the A326 that the two projects were entirely ‘unrelated’ despite including the double roundabout to access the Bay! As we pointed out in our objection, the two developments are completely intertwined and their huge environmental impacts should be considered together. 

The Outline Business Case (OBC) for the A326 (which the DfT is currently considering) paints a very different picture to the planning application. Here, HCC is very clear that the scheme is needed for the planned development at Dibden Bay. The OBC mentions the Solent Gateway 2 project 17 times!

Port operator withdraws their plans

Fortunately, ABP has recently withdrawn their plans for Dibden Bay. With a massive part of the A326 scheme’s justification removed, it is surely time for the DfT to refuse funding. 

HCC are seeking a huge £161.5 million contribution from DfT for the £187 million project, or 85% of the total cost. The DfT has long been criticised for giving false hope to road obsessed local authorities by never telling them “no”. This has kept local authorities wedded to outdated road schemes, with no incentive to explore cheaper, more sustainable options. Recently DfT has been brave and honest, culling 25 unaffordable and unfunded road projects where there was no realistic prospect of funding. This was something we welcomed. Unfortunately the DfT included the A326 in its local roads programme in March 2026. However, the news of the scrapping of the development of Dibden Bay should hopefully mean the A326 could soon be added to the cancelled list. 

Reducing congestion without a road

Rather than building an expensive road scheme which will simply lock in more car dependency, the council should consider cheaper alternatives which offer people real choice. To help reduce congestion on the A326 (which connects the Waterside communities on the outskirts of the New Forest to the M27 and Southampton), HCC could instead restore funding for the Hythe ferry. The ferry operated for 500 years across Southampton Water between Hythe and Southampton but ceased in 2024 partly due to HCC withdrawing funding (it only cost £75,000 a year, far cheaper than a £187m road!). It took only about 12 minutes to cross one mile of sea, compared to 11 miles by road. Local people will then be able to access employment, facilities and shops in Southampton, whilst city residents and visitors could access the New Forest National Park car-free. Win-win. 

This is the type of solution local councils should be exploring, and DfT should be encouraging. The first step will be DfT biting the bullet and refusing funding for the £187 million A326 road project.