Turnpike road through the area

1765

The turnpike road system that connected Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth passed through the southern margins of the Whiteley area, following routes that would later be incorporated into the modern A27 and M27 corridor. The turnpike era brought improved road surfaces and regular coach services, connecting the scattered communities of south Hampshire to the growing towns. The Whiteley area remained firmly agricultural, with no settlement of note, but the improved roads established the transport corridor that would eventually determine the location of the M27 motorway and, by extension, the modern Whiteley development.