A BID for £25m to fund a vital transport scheme in Hampshire will be submitted to the government after it was approved by county leaders this morning.

The Stubbington Bypass scheme could be given the green light by the end of the year after council chiefs said they had "every expectation" the government cash would be approved in the chancellors Autumn statement.

In order for the scheme to be submitted £8.5 m needed to be secured, a sum which is being put up by Hampshire County Council and paid back through business rates from the Daedalus enterprise zone.

With that funding in place the Solent Local Enterprise partnership could them submit the bid to government as a priority project.

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: A map of the proposed route

That decision was taken this morning. Executive leader of Fareham borough council Sean Woodward said: "It has been three years of solid work to get to this point. Stubbington will be free of the gridlock which it suffers from from first thing in the morning and again in the evening."

Councillor Roy Perry, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: "Making this scheme a reality demonstrates the County Council's willingness to act, using its expertise and capacity to deliver a scheme which will benefit local people and businesses in the Gosport and Fareham areas.

"This illustrates the scale of investment Hampshire County Council is making into improving the transport infrastructure in South Hampshire.

"I'm very grateful to the Solent LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) for working with us and pleased to see the results of effective partnership working which will allow the County Council to deliver this important infrastructure to support the Enterprise Zone and economic growth in the area."

Cllr Perry continued: "The Stubbington Bypass will be added to a long list of large scale transport projects the County Council has delivered in the south of the county which includes the £28 million bus rapid transit route (which has seen more than 7.8 million passenger journeys since it opened in 2012), and a range of road schemes to improve access to Fareham and Gosport including £3.25million at Peel Common roundabout, £4.6 million at A27 St Margaret's roundabout and £6.9 million at Newgate Lane North."

Councillor Rob Humby, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, added: "Hampshire County Council is proud to bring forward this scheme to honour a long commitment to the people of Gosport and Stubbington.

"This is a very positive example of how the County Council has worked with the Solent LEP, with agreement from Fareham Borough Council who now own the Enterpise Zone, to solve a problem and come up with a funding mechanism that will ensure the scheme can go ahead.

"We have already secured planning permission for this scheme, and I'm confident this is the last piece in the jigsaw needed to implement the transport improvements the County Council has identified in this part of Hampshire.

"A great deal of work has been going on behind the scenes, despite the complications caused by the Solent combined authority proposals which include plans to remove highways and transport responsibilities from Hampshire County Council, to be replaced by an additional tier of government including an elected mayor.

"I have no doubt building this bypass is the right thing to do for local people.

"I am pleased to say that Hampshire County Council has ignored the distraction of the proposed South Hampshire combined authority to bring this much needed scheme to a point where Government funding could be secured.

"I'm very grateful for the support from the local MP in helping us to persuade Government to seriously consider supporting the bid for funding and allow us to finally get this scheme underway."

Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, Stubbington, Lee-on-the-Solent and Hill Head, said: "The welcome investment in the Stubbington Bypass clearly demonstrates Hampshire County Council's faith in the strong economic potential of the Gosport Constituency.

"A new peninsular access route is utterly essential for addressing the area's crippling congestion problems and would vastly improve both the lives of local residents and the prospects for local businesses.

"This sends a clear message to the Government about how seriously both the Council and other local stakeholders are about investing in the future prosperity of Gosport & Stubbington."

Planning permission for the scheme was approved in 2015.

The proposed Stubbington Bypass comprises of a 3.5 kilometre road to the south of Fareham and the north-west of Stubbington, designed to alleviate local traffic problems and support long-term plans for regeneration and economic development, including improved access to the Enterprise Zone.

It will provide a connection from Titchfield Road to Gosport Road with additional improvements to the existing sections of the B334 at Titchfield Road at its northern end and Gosport Road at the southern end of the alignment.