Getting On and Off Hayling Island: Langstone Bridge, the A3023 and Alternatives

Hayling Island is joined to the mainland by a single road, the A3023, which crosses Langstone Bridge. That is lovely when the roads are clear, and frustrating on a hot bank holiday. This guide uses the council's own transport assessment and travel pages.

One bridge, one main road

Havant Borough Council's Hayling Island Transport Assessment (January 2019) says the island's roughly 17,500 residents are connected to the mainland via the A3023 and Langstone Bridge, a single carriageway road linking Northney to Langstone. The A3023 passes through Langstone just north of the bridge and south of the major junction with the A27 and the B2149 into Havant. Speed limits vary between 30mph and 40mph. The bridge carriageway is 6.5 metres wide, with 2-metre off-carriageway cycle tracks on both sides.

When it gets busy

The assessment recorded about 27,000 vehicles a day on the A3023, and says flows can be heavy not only at peak hours but also between them and at weekends. During all school holidays, and particularly in summer, flows are at their highest, with often a continuous procession of vehicles in daylight hours. It notes summer bank holidays in particular give unreliable journey times between the bridge and South Hayling. It also warns that any disruption on the A3023 in Langstone, on the bridge or on the island affects other roads quickly, with a risk of queues tailing back onto the A27. Emergency access can be severely inhibited when the network is constrained.

The practical tips follow from that: on a sunny weekend or bank holiday, set off early or late, expect delays leaving the island in the afternoon, and check a live traffic service or the council's travel pages before you go.

Local alternatives to the A3023

The council's assessment describes Northney Road as an alternative route just after the bridge, running round the north-east of the island and rejoining the A3023 at Copse Lane and further south. West Lane is a narrower north-south road, and Church Road at Mill Rythe offers another route in the south. These are local roads and are not a way around the bridge itself.

Without a car

- Buses. Stagecoach services 30 and 31 link Havant bus station with the Hayling seafront every 15 minutes in the daytime and hourly in the evenings and on Sundays, according to the council. Havant bus station building is open Monday to Saturday 7am to 6.30pm and 9am to 3pm on Sundays.
- Hayling Ferry. A foot-passenger ferry crosses from Ferry Point at the island's south-west tip to Eastney in Portsmouth in about five minutes. The council says it can save a long drive into Portsmouth via Havant. Bikes are carried subject to space, and timetables and fares are on haylingferry.net.
- Cycling and walking. The cycle tracks on Langstone Bridge connect with the Hayling Billy Trail; see our Billy Trail guide. The Chichester Harbour Conservancy's cycle route leaflet starts from the free public car park by The Ship pub at Langstone.
- Seasonal ferry from Eastoke. Havant Borough Council's travel page mentions a new seasonal ferry route launching in 2026 between Eastoke and West Wittering, running to 25 October 2026. Check the operator for 2027.

Parking on arrival

Havant Borough Council says charges apply at seafront car parks daily from 6am to 10pm, with Blue Badge holders and motorcycles parking free. At Beachlands, season tickets are available if you visit often; see the council's parking page.

For wider planning see our guide to moving to Hayling Island and the beach guide.