A COUNTY councillor is calling for a Basingstoke road to be resurfaced following major funding awarded to improve Hampshire's roads. 

Basingstoke South West councillor Stephen Reid has written to the chief officer at the council asking that some of the Government's extra money for road maintenance be spent on resurfacing Kempshott Lane.

As previously reported, on Friday, November 17, transport secretary Mark Harper set out the allocations of an £8.3bn national long-term plan, enough to resurface over 5,000 miles of road across the country over the next 11 years. 

Local highway authorities in the southeast, including Hampshire, will each receive a share of the £734m which they can use to fix roads. This will see Hampshire County Council receive an extra £132m between 2023/24 and 2033/34.

READ MORE: Festive boost for shoppers with free parking at council car parks this weekend

Basingstoke Gazette: Cllr Stephen Reid at five ways, Kempshott LaneCllr Stephen Reid at five ways, Kempshott Lane (Image: Stephen Reid)Cllr Reid has asked that some of these additional funds be used to prioritise resurfacing a stretch of Kempshott Lane.

SEE ALSO: Supreme Court rules in Fleet man’s favour in landmark case against operator TUI

Cllr Reid said: "I have written to the director asking for part of that extra money to be spent on resurfacing Kempshott Lane.

"I have been lobbying for this work for some time. The last news I had was that the case had been accepted for resurfacing the crucial middle stretch, and it will be a candidate but not guaranteed for the 2024/25 budget.

"I have therefore asked whether the extra money could be used to accelerate the work. Although repairs have improved it, Kempshott Lane remains a risky route for cyclists and a bumpy ride for motorists.

"The director says that the council does not yet know the exact details of the extra money. But I have put in my plea early, in the hope of having this road in the officers’ minds when the decision-making starts."

Across the southeast, local highway authorities will receive £23.4m this financial year, followed by a further £23.4m for 2024/2025, with the rest of the funding allocated through to 2034.

The funding also comes on top of the local transport, road and rail budgets allocated at the last spending review and in addition to what local authorities were already expecting for the next decade.

The Gazette has contacted Hampshire County Council for comment but has yet to receive a reply.