IT IS SEEN as a long-awaited solution to ease the traffic woes of thousands of Hampshire residents.

And now a group of campaigners have launched a petition to make sure the Chickenhall Lane Link Road becomes a reality.

Saying they are concerned there seems to be "much more talk than action", they will send the petition to council chiefs and Government ministers in a bid to kickstart the plans for the new road.

The link road would run north of junction 5 of the M27 from the A335 Southampton Road to Chickenhall Lane at an estimated cost of £120m.

It’s a project which has been in demand from residents for 30 years and last year Eastleigh Borough Council leaders put the project forward to be considered by Hampshire County Council transport chiefs.

During the General Election campaign Conservative MP Mims Davies also pledged to ensure the new road went ahead, describing it as a "game changer for the area" that would create "better quality of life, better opportunities and more prosperity".

But now, after years of waiting for Eastleigh residents after the council initially proposed building the link road to reduce congestion, the Action Against Destructive Development (ADD) is hoping to move the project forward.

The group has recently fought plans to bring up to 6,000 new homes to the area, organising a petition against the council's plans for the new homes around Bishopstoke and Fair Oak which received more than 1,000 signatures.

Their new petition, which has already gained almost 100 signatures in 24 hours, will be sent to the leaders of Eastleigh Borough Council, the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and Hampshire County Council as well as the Chancellor Phillip Hammond and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

The ADD petition says: “After many, many years, the Chickenhall Lane Link Road may finally become reality.

“We are concerned that there seems to be much more talk than action.”

To sign the petition or find out more, visit www.change.org/p/get-the-chickenhall-lane-link-road-moving.

ADD member Gin Tidridge said: “It seems crazy not to address congestion when air quality is known to be such a major public health concern.

"I believe it is irresponsible of the council not to address the brownfield sites that could be unlocked by building the Chickenhall Lane Link Road.

“It is down to all the key stakeholders, including Eastleigh Borough Council, Hampshire County Council and Solent LEP to act now to get the Chickenhall Lane link road moving.”

To sign the petition or find out more, visit www.change.org/p/get-the-chickenhall-lane-link-road-moving.