CONNECTING SOUTHAMPTON

Areas of concern and requests for further information

What we are doing to address concerns  

Impact on local roads: concerns the scheme will have a detrimental impact on local roads.  

Many people raised the concern about additional traffic using local roads to get through the area should a bus gate be introduced.   

 To further assess this, additional traffic modelling and counts were commissioned in April 2023*. It is also proposed that an Active Travel Zone be introduced in the Highfield area (to be designed with the local community) to minimise any impact from the proposals, while maintaining access for residents. 

*Correction: traffic counts were carried out in March 2023 but were processed by officers in April 2023. 

Impact on the local economy: concerns the scheme would have a detrimental impact on local businesses  

People have expressed concern that the proposals could harm local businesses.  

 To further investigate the scheme’s impact and address concerns, Southampton City Council has commissioned an independent Economic Impact Assessment.   

The first stage of the report focuses on the potential effects of the scheme on the Portswood Business district, the second phase will focus on providing advice and guidance on how businesses can get the full benefit of the scheme should it go ahead.   

Maintaining access for the elderly and disabled:  concerns that this has not been fully considered  

Access for people with mobility issues, especially those that have no alternative but to use their car, will be maintained.  

 While some people may need to make longer journeys around the bus gate, we commit to: 

• maintaining access to all car parks in the area;  
• increase the level of parking for people with disabilities;   
• improving existing access to Westridge Road Car Park;  
• providing additional disabled accessible crossings;   
• improving footways on main and local roads.  

Phased implementation of the scheme  

The Council is currently investigating a possible phased introduction of the scheme should it proceed, to ensure mitigation measures are in place before significant works are carried out.   

Air quality and environmental benefits  

Southampton City Council adopted its Green City Plan in 2020, establishing a vision and a set of commitments that seek to achieve improvements in the city environment. This includes actions to improve air quality, the natural environment and establishes a 2030 net zero target for emissions from its own operations and services.  

With nearly a third of the city’s carbon emissions coming from the transport sector, reducing motor vehicle emissions and providing reliable and safe alternative modes of travel is a key part of meeting our targets and improving our air quality.  

A key way we are doing this is by improving our public transport network, along with making our roads safer for people to access other more sustainable modes of travel such as walking and cycling.  

The Council is also committed to seeing a continual improvement in air quality across the city under its Air Quality Action Plan and reducing impact from vehicle emissions through measures set out in the Local Transport Plan.  

Improving public transport services  

Traffic and congestion can cause significant delay to our bus and taxi services. The existing congestion through Portswood Broadway is currently causing delays to journeys across the area for those wanting to use public transport.  

Bias in the consultation and questionnaire  

All efforts are made by council officers to keep consultation materials factually based and question natural. Based on previous concerns we have taken extra steps to assess the materials and questions to ensure greater impartiality.  

The consultation questionnaire and materials have been submitted to the council’s Insights Data Team who have reviewed them. This team is separate from the Transport department and have provided us with advice about how to better frame questions to maintain neutrality.   

Tackling crime and antisocial behaviour  

Crime and antisocial behaviour is a key concern raised in phase 1 of the consultation. Local street drinking, assaults, theft and other crimes are something we all take very seriously.  

We are working in partnership with the police and local businesses to improve surveillance and raise awareness of how to report crimes. Further information can be found under the Reducing Crime section on this site.  

A335 Thomas Lewis way improvements  

These proposals would mean that significant levels of traffic would shift away from Portswood Broadway and on to Thomas Lewis way.   

The improvements to A335 Thomas Lewis Way focus on its key junctions, with signal technology being upgraded, pinch points being removed and crossing facilities being upgraded at its junction with St Denys Road. These works are to improve journey times and capacity, in order to facilitate the additional traffic. With the majority of these works now complete we have seen an improvement in journey times along the corridor.  

Emergency strategy for A335 Thomas Lewis Way  

If the decision is made to proceed with these proposals, it will be important to maintain an alternative route for people who chose to drive, should A335 Thomas Lewis Way become inaccessible.    

We have developed an emergency strategy to ensure the flow of traffic is not interrupted, which includes the potential to temporarily suspend the bus gate for local journeys.