Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit Phase 1 closer to completion

Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Mel Kendal, at the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit dedicated busway

The first phase of the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route – from Gosport to Fareham – is a step closer to opening as the final touches to construction are completed.

Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Mel Kendal, at the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit dedicated busway

Modern, dedicated busway

Eclipse BRT Phase 1 has seen a disused railway line, between Gosport and Fareham, transformed into a modern, dedicated busway, offering passengers reliable journey times on specially designed, high-quality buses, branded ‘Eclipse’.

New luxury buses

The new luxury buses will use the Phase 1 busway for part of their journey with routes extending beyond into the surrounding residential areas, linking to key destinations and transport interchanges at the Gosport Ferry terminal, Fareham railway station and Fareham bus station in Fareham town centre.

Passengers travelling on the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit will benefit from the bus only lanes that are being introduced, on a trial basis, on Portland Street and Western Way in Fareham in April. The bus lanes aim to achieve more efficient bus journey times in and out of Fareham and improve the connections with other bus services and the rail station.

Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Hampshire County Council, said:

“The completion of this innovative project will deliver a much-needed public transport option for people living in one of the most congested areas of South East Hampshire. By bringing back the former railway line into public use, the route will provide a viable alternative to the private car for people to access areas of employment and education, which is essential in these lean economic times.”

Construction began in 2009

Funding awarded for the scheme by the Government in 2008 meant work could begin later that year with the overgrown route being cleared of vegetation and the removal of around 3000 metres of old track which was donated to the Mid-Hants Railway Preservation Society. Extensive environmental mitigation measures were put in place and actual construction began in 2009.

Phase 1 of the Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit network aims to boost public transport between Gosport and Fareham and is part of a proposed wider integrated transport strategy for South East Hampshire which aims to reduce the need to travel by car by providing better public transport options, improve traffic and network management and invest for the future to support the development of the local economy.

The scheme has been constructed by BAM Nuttall, on behalf of Hampshire County Council.