A CUT-PRICE TOWN CENTRE FACELIFT?

Lack of funds could force Hampshire County Council to ditch parts of the scheme and proceed with a cut-price version costing just £12m.

It follows the government's refusal earlier this year to give the authority a grant to fund the long-awaited scheme.

Council chiefs are determined to forge ahead with the most important parts of the project, including a new link road from Salisbury Road to the roundabout at the junction of Ringwood Road and Maynard Road.

But smaller projects south of the railway line are in danger of being scrapped.

A county council spokesman said: "Works not considered part of the central commercial core are traffic signals on the A35, a new footbridge over the railway at Maynard Road and alterations to the pedestrian bridge at Brokenford Lane.

"We've focused on areas that will achieve the greatest benefit, and other areas have been put on the back burner for the present time. However, they have not been abandoned and may be implemented at a later date."

The possibility that the scheme could be cut by £10m has angered town councillors, who have spent years fighting for much-needed improvements.

George Dart, former chairman of the planning and transport advisory committee, said: "I've spoken to other members and they share my immense disappointment at the whole funding issue. It's just not good enough."

Former council chairman Steve Shepherd said: "The town feels hard done by. Other Hampshire towns have had considerable sums spent on them over the years but Totton always seems to be last in the queue."

David Harrison, chairman of the policy and resources committee, said: "It's generally accepted that it will take £20m-plus to get Totton into shape."

As reported in the Daily Echo, the county council had hoped to finance the scheme by obtaining a lump sum from the government.

But the project failed to impress the Department of Transport, which means the authority must find other ways of funding improvements to the town.