ONE of the busiest roundabouts in Basingstoke could be ripped up and replaced with a revolutionary new layout.

Supermarket giant Tesco is proposing wholesale changes to the road network around its proposed Brighton Hill store in a bid to reduce traffic and win over objectors.

The company, which is looking to build a 63,000 sq ft store on the former Smiths Industries site, wants to turn the Brighton Hill Roundabout into a “through-about” – running the A30 Winchester Road run straight through the middle.

The company also wants to widen the circulating road to three lanes, put traffic lights on all approaches and fill in the pedestrian subways – replacing them with pelican crossings.

And as part of the package, it also wants to turn the Winchester Road Roundabout into a three-lane roundabout with traffic lights.

The revamped, and more expensive, proposals come after Hampshire County Council, which is responsible for highways, highlighted significant problems with Tesco’s original transport ideas, published in June last year.

The “through-about” would mean traffic wishing to continue on the A30 Winchester Road into or out of town, driving straight through the middle of the roundabout. Motorists wishing to use any other exit, such as The Harrow Way or Western Way, would continue to use the circulating roads.

The Gazette has been told that Tesco could pump as much as £7million into the road network – an increase of £5m from its initial £2m package.

The move has been hailed as a big improvement by Liberal Democrat county councillor Brian Gurden, who represents the Basingstoke South East division at Hampshire County Council as well as Brighton Hill North on the borough council.

He told The Gazette: “We surveyed 1,400 people, and of those responses, 70 per cent said no to Tesco with nearly all of them against an increase in traffic.

“We had concerns about rat-running through the side streets, but this solution should tackle all of them.

“These proposals will in fact reduce traffic, which has always been our main concern. We were told this could cost £7m, so it is a significant amount of money.”

Cllr Gurden said highways officers have run the proposed changes through a computer programme, which measures traffic levels, and believe the new plans will ease congestion.

He added: “My warning shot would be that there is still an over-concentration of retail in south west Basingstoke. However, we will be re-examining public opinion.”

A plan to reduce The Harrow Way speed limit to 30 miles-per-hour has been dropped by Tesco, on the advice of Hampshire County Council.

And instead of a mini-roundabout at the junction of The Harrow Way with Lister Road, there would be yet more traffic lights.

Simon Petar, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, declined to confirm that the road proposals would cost £7m.

But he said Tesco bosses are very pleased with the new plans.

He added: “This will mean less traffic around the Brighton Hill Roundabout, reducing queuing, bringing improvements to the surrounding junctions, and creating easier access from The Harrow Way.”

Tesco has used the “through-about” model before, specifically in its bid to build a new store on the A27 in Fareham.

The company’s original plans for Basingstoke included small-scale changes to the Brighton Hill and Winchester Road Roundabouts, including traffic lights at some entrances.

Councillor Mel Kendal, executive lead member for environment and transport at Hampshire County Council, said the local authority has been in discussion with Tesco since its application was submitted last year.

He said: “The works now being considered address a number of the concerns that the county council raised with the current application.”

The planned new store, which has been the subject of much debate, is expected to create 350 jobs. If the highways proposals get Hampshire’s support, a detailed application for the proposed store will be submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council later this year.