M275 motorway (Great Britain)
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| Route information | |
| Length: | 2.0 mi (3.2 km) |
| Existed: | 1976 – present |
| Major junctions | |
| From: | Wymering |
 M27 motorway |
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| To: | Portsmouth |
| Road network | |
The M275 is a 2-mile (3.2 km) long, dual three-lane motorway in Hampshire, southern England. It is the principal route for entering and leaving Portsmouth. It continues as the A3 into Portsmouth, and meets the M27 at its northern terminus. From the motorway, there are scenic views over Portsmouth harbour, and the Sails of the South between the two carriageways.
The M275 is one of few motorways in England which is not the responsibility of the Highways Agency. It is managed by Portsmouth City Council from the point where the slip roads to the M27 end. The M275 was not built with a full hard shoulder. For its entire length, a narrow verge is maintained, although there is space available for a full width shoulder. Instead, drivers are warned on entry from the A3 and M27 of the lack of hard shoulder, with signs saying "no hard shoulder for 2 miles".
The motorway was opened throughout its entire length in 1976. A junction was originally planned for a new development in the Tipner area of Portsmouth, known as the Gateway Project, which was shelved at the time. The junction's construction was abandoned primarily because planners realised that it would breach regulations that there must be a minimum of 1.25 miles (2.01 km) between motorway junctions. Before construction was halted, significant work had been carried out, including four incomplete slip roads with no road surfacing, two bridges above the site for the main roundabout, and realignment of Tipner Lane so that it served the roundabout. In 2001 the Sails of the South was unveiled close to the site of the missing junction. 2005 saw Portsmouth City Council carry out refurbishments to gantry mounted signs on approach to the M27 junction, new signage was stuck over old signage, and was significantly smaller and disproportionate to the previous layout. Incorrect lane illustrations, lack of adequate route information, and increased difficulty to read at a long distance lead to driver frustration and confusion.
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