00:00We're here today at Junction 10 on the M37.
00:03Rain is holding off for us, hopefully, while we do this,
00:06and we're looking at what is going to happen
00:09starting on Christmas Eve with this junction.
00:13This junction was built in the 1980s
00:15and was only designed at the time for access from the east
00:21to come down to go on the 32 or into Fairham,
00:25or failing that,
00:27or going back on an easterly direction coming down the 32
00:31to go towards Fairham and Portsmouth.
00:33So what we're doing here is actually creating a multi-function junction,
00:37which means that you'll be able to access the M27 going west
00:42and also you can come off from the westerly direction
00:46in order to access the A32 or into Mid-Fairham.
00:50So it will be a big difference to this area.
00:54It will hopefully change the congestion rate on the M27.
00:59It will also bring new homes, employment opportunities,
01:04and will make a different landscape, shall we say.
01:09We appreciate that closing the motorway for 10 days over the Christmas period
01:14is not ideal.
01:17But actually it's the best time we've analysed the amount of traffic on the M27
01:22at this time of year.
01:23And it is about a third less than it would be in the normal circumstances.
01:28Obviously there will be delays and we are sorry about that.
01:32But the A27 is the diversion route.
01:36The traffic lights have been prioritised for the main flow of traffic to go along it.
01:42But if local residents could perhaps think about their journeys
01:47for the 10 days of closure,
01:49so perhaps then travel between 10 and 4 and go at different times,
01:54or think alternatively, use the trains.
01:59It is for a short period of time,
02:01but we do appreciate that it will inconvenience some people.
02:04We've liaised with emergency services
02:06and lots of different organisations like the retail parts and the courts.
02:11So most are now aware of what is going on here
02:16and the impact that closing the motorway will have.
02:20But there are diversion routes available.
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