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Portswood Project

PORTSWOOD RD ST DENYS RD 02 (2)

Summary

  • Where: Portswood Road and neighbouring areas
  • What: A bus/taxi/cycle only restriction on Portswood Road with active travel zones and 20 mph restrictions in neighbouring areas
  • When: January 2025
  • Why: To improve bus journey times and deliver economic, social and environmental benefits
  • How: Funded by the UK Government from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund

Latest News

23 January 2025

We are ready to begin the trial of the part-time bus/taxi/cycle-only section of Portswood Road, Active Travel Zones and 20mph signage in neighbouring streets. The trial will begin on Monday 27 January 2025 and will continue for at least six months.

The part-time bus/taxi/cycle-only section of Portswood Road is located between St Denys Road spur and Westridge Road and the restriction will apply at peak times; between 7am and 10am in the morning and between 4pm and 7pm in the evening. Access will be maintained northbound through the bus gate for large vehicles over 7.5t, with a new loading bay on St Denys Road spur.

While the restriction is in operation only authorised vehicles are allowed, including:

  • Buses
  • Taxis (Taxis that are not locally licenced by Southampton City Council cannot use the bus gate - 09:30 - 10:00 and 18:30 - 19:00).
  • Cyclists, legal E-scooters and E-bikes (not motorcycles/mopeds)
  • Emergency vehicles
  • Any other service vehicle, carrying out a statutory duty e.g. gritting, refuse collection, that cannot use another route for their purpose and require constant use of the vehicle.

The scheme is also introducing:

  • New, larger bus shelters
  • Two new parklets; offering seating, planting and cycle parking
  • Contraflow cycle lane on St Denys Road spur
  • 20-mph limit for the area
  • New buildouts with cycle bypasses on Brookvale Road and Belmont Road
  • Traffic filter on Russell Place at its junction with Abbotts Way

The map below shows the new restrictions, and access routes by car for the wider area.

A map showing the available routes for vehicles accessing Portswood Road, or onward trafficA map showing the advised routes in and around Portswood during the bus gate operational times

(Please click here to open in a new window)

As part of the trial, the level of achievement of each of the following objectives for the Portswood Project will be measured:

  1. To regenerate and make Portswood District Centre a more attractive, accessible, vibrant and competitive economic destination so people spend more time and money here; 
  2. To improve the air quality, environment and biodiversity; 
  3. To provide more space for people walking and wheeling with improved connectivity and road safety; 
  4. To improve the choices of transport modes for people to use; 
  5. To improve bus reliability and journey times and create better bus stops; 
  6. To enhance quality of life for all who live, work or shop in the area;
  7. To reduce the amount of through route traffic on local roads;
  8. To reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

These will be assessed by an independent consultant in the 3-month and 6-month reports. A series of different data including traffic and movement, economic, community and contextual data will be collected at key points before and during the trial, and after the trial should the scheme be made permanent. A baseline report has already been produced which provides the pre-trial data. The report is available to view here.

During the trial, a monthly interim assessment will be undertaken utilising readily available traffic data to understand the impacts of the Portswood Project. A summary will be made available to the public on the project website.

We plan to continue working with local residents’ associations, retailers, traders and other representatives from the community through the Portswood Project Steering Group to monitor the implementation, progress and outcome of the trial.

16 December 2024

We are now moving into the next phase of the project which is delivering the part-time bus/taxi/cycle-only section of Portswood Road, between St Denys Road spur and Westridge Road, Active Travel Zones and 20mph signage in neighbouring streets. Below is an overview of the planned works schedule:

  • Bus Gate Installation - works are expected to begin Monday 6 January 2025 and take approximately 2 weeks to complete.
  • Active Travel Zones – works are expected to begin Monday 6 January 2025 and take approximately 3 weeks to complete.
  • 20mph signage – works are expected to begin Monday 6 January 2025 and take approximately 3 weeks to complete.

During the works, traffic restrictions will be in place as follows:

Bus Gate Installation

Portswood Road (from St Denys Road spur to Westridge Road):

Works will start in this area from Monday 6 January for approximately 2 weeks. Restrictions include footway incursions in some areas – an alternative footpath will be signed.

The majority of works will take place between 7:00am-5:00pm, however, there will be overnight road closures on Portswood Road from Monday 13 January for 5 nights between the hours of 8:00pm-6:00am to complete resurfacing.

St Denys Road spur

St Denys Road spur will be closed 24 hours a day for the entirety of the 2 weeks to create a welfare, storage, and safety zone for our team whilst we carry out construction on Portswood Road.

Active Travel Zone Installation

Highfield Lane

Construction of buildouts is planned to start on Highfield Lane Monday 6 January for approximately 4 days. During this time, we will be working in the area between 7:00am-5:00pm, temporary traffic signals will be in place whilst we work.

Brookvale Road, Russell Place, and Belmont Road

Construction of buildouts are planned to take place along Brookvale Road, Russell Place and Belmont Road from Monday 13 January for approximately 11 days. Works are programmed to begin along Brookvale Road and will then progress southbound. A road closure will be in place between 7:00am-5:00pm when we’re working in each area. Closures will be limited to the vicinity of the working area, and signed diversion routes will be in place.

Access to driveways within the closure area will be provided for residents, however there may be short delays while our team move their equipment or barriers out of the carriageway.

20mph Signage Installation

Portswood Area

20mph signage installation works are due to begin from Monday 6 January and are expected to take 2 weeks. The installation will involve footway incursions in some areas – an alternative footpath will be signed.

A map of the works areas in PortswoodA map of the works areas in Portswood

A map of the works area at Belmont Road

25 October 2024

Legal consultation on the Portswood Project 

To introduce the scheme, the Council has to undertake a number of formal legal processes. 

The Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) for the bus-gate and ATZs were made on 23rd October and will come into force on 27th January 2025. The Council will be considering in due course whether or not to make these ETROs permanent. Any person may object to, or make any other comment on, the ETROs being made permanent within six months of them coming into force (or within six months of any modification to ETRO coming into force, whichever is later). Please note that comments made on the ETROs before they come into force will be recorded but will only be considered along with all other responses to the ETROs following the end of the six-month consultation period.  

The consultation on the Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) and other regulatory notices will run from 25 October 2024 to 15 November 2024. During this time, we encourage you to comment. This can be done online at: Traffic Regulation Order Consultations or in writing to the Highways Legal Team at Southampton City Council, Civic Centre, Southampton, SO14 7LY. Alternatively, staff at Portswood Library can help you to use the online feedback form. Once the consultation period closes, we will consider all the feedback before making a decision on how to proceed. 

The scheme plans and all other documents can be viewed online at: Traffic Regulation Order Consultations . Alternatively, hard copies can be viewed at: 

  • October Books,189 Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton, SO17 2NF 
  • Portswood Library, Portswood Road, Portswood, Southampton, SO17 2NG 
  • Gateway in the Civic Centre, Southampton SO14 7LY 

24 October 2024

The Portswood Project Steering Group had its third meeting on Monday 21 October. Below is a summary of the meeting: 

New members were introduced to the Group. The Group was reminded that the Meeting 2 Report and Annexes are now published on the Council website. Officers introduced the detailed design for the ATZ, and outlined changes from the previous sketches. Members discussed the upcoming Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation. Officers outlined the provisional dates for preparatory works required for the scheme installation. The Group discussed the baseline data collection which will feed into the proposed KPIs. The Chair summarised the key next steps: 

  • The Council will be sending a letter to properties in the area on 25 October with an update on the project and information about the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation and how to comment. A copy will be shared with members; 
  • The consultant’s monitoring report containing baseline data will be shared with the Council in November, and following this discussed with the Steering Group – either by email or via an additional monitoring sub-group meeting; 
  • A written progress report including outcome of the TRO consultation and next steps for the scheme installation will be shared with the group in early December. 

The next meeting of the group will be on 15 January 2025.