HAMPSHIRE councillors have expressed their fury over the lack of communication from the consortium behind a £1 billion cross-Solent tunnel project that could cause traffic “chaos”.

Councillors in Fareham are angry that they have yet to be consulted about plans to build a tunnel to the Isle of Wight, the mainland entrance to which would be in the borough, to the east of Junction 9 on the M27.

Their anger comes after Isle of Wight councillors attended a meeting last night where PRO-LINK delivered a 30-minute presentation followed by a question and answer session with the aim of establishing official support for a feasibility study to be carried out.

Cllr Sean Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “I am very surprised, given that there are by definition two ends to any tunnel, that we have still received no contact whatever from the promoters of a project that would have a major impact on the Borough of Fareham.

“This does nothing to enhance the credibility of this on the face of it unrealistic and unfunded project.”

Councillor Roger Price, leader of the opposition Fareham Liberal Democrats said: “I knew nothing about it until I heard it on the radio.

“If the group are talking with the Isle of Wight, they should be talking to any council on the mainland which is affected by it.

“We need to know what their thoughts as just as equally as well.”

Councillor Stephen Philpott, chair of the Economic Development Board on Gosport Borough Council, added: “We have been working very hard with Fareham councillors and county councillors to secure substantial investment in road infrastructure, some of which is in the pipeline to be delivered while some of which is being developed.

“These developments are being made to address existing transport problems in Southern Hampshire where many of our trunk roads are at already or above capacity at peak times and therefore any additional traffic caused by this tunnel project would not be welcome by people in this area.”

The ambitious plans will consist of two long dual carriageway tunnels built underneath parts of Fareham and Gosport.

One tunnel would run from East Cowes on the Isle of Wight to a location between Warsash and Browndown near Gosport and another would connect traffic with a new junction at the M27, drivers would be charged £1 per trip each way under the plans.

Carl Feeney, who is behind the Cross Solent Tunnel project said: “We want to give 24-hour availability of travel to and from the Island at an affordable price.

“We need official support in order to source funding for a feasibility study and the meeting with Isle of Wight councillors has helped us to address that.”