CIVIC chiefs have agreed to earmark £58,000 towards developing an off-road cycle route between Chandler's Ford's Thornden School and Otterbourne Hill.

The stretch would form part of the National Cycle Network and aid Thornden School's ambition of making a 20 per cent cut in the 59 per cent of pupils who currently travel to school by car.

In its travel plan, launched last year, the school identified a number of initiatives to encourage the reduction, including cycle routes to the school.

The new cycleway has also been heralded as the forerunner of a major safety improvement scheme for Winchester Road - a highway used as a main route for motorists leaving the M3 and travelling through Chandler's Ford.

Members of Eastleigh Council's Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury Local Area Committee were told that the estimated cost of the cycle route scheme was £200,000.

It is hoped there will be a £100,000 grant from Sustrans - the Sustainable Transport Charity - but it would then be for the local area committee and Hampshire County Council to come up with matching funding.

Councillor Colin Davidovitz, who also sits on Hampshire County Council, told borough colleagues: "This scheme will go ahead hopefully next year when the Sustrans money comes through.

"We are very concerned that the whole route from the roundabout at the motorway exit right down to Merdon Avenue is re-engineered to make it a much safer route for traffic that comes off the motorway and comes through Chandler's Ford. This is part of a very big and worthwhile scheme."

Committee chairman Councillor Godfrey Olson said: "What we are hoping to do is widen the footpath near the King Rufus and also reduce the speed limit down to 30mph. Some of these initial measures will help us towards those ends."