Labour council scraps £3m green road scheme that increases traffic
A Labour council has scrapped a £3 million green road scheme after it increased traffic on nearby roads.
Southampton city council installed a gate in January that stopped traffic other than buses, bicycles and taxis from using Portswood Road at peak times.
The bus gate, which was called the 'Portswood project', led to 1,882 fines issued between Feb 10 and April 10.
But following a backlash from residents and a 'comprehensive' review, the council announced that the scheme would be suspended from Thursday.
The local authority said the decision was made after a 'significant rise' in traffic along residential streets which 'raises concerns around road safety and congestion'.
It also confirmed that, as of March this year, it had already spent more than £1 million of the £3 million allocated for the project.
Residents had accused planners of being in 'cloud cuckoo land' when they introduced the expensive scheme, which they said was both 'ridiculous' and a 'waste of money'.
Alison Curtis, a business consultant, 60, described the scheme as an 'awful' idea which was going to affect the businesses that lined the road.
'There [are] going to be a lot of unhappy people,' she said, adding: 'I am sure there is a different and better way to encourage people out of their cars, we need an alternative not just to be stopped.'
Another pedestrian described it as a 'lose-lose situation' for businesses and that the £3 million should be spent on 'road improvements'.
The 79-year-old retired NHS manager said: 'It is ridiculous, a waste of money which could be spent on road improvements.'
She added: 'I can't see how it is going to benefit the shop owners, it is a lose-lose situation, they are going to lose money.'
The council launched a survey in late 2020 on the scheme to gather residents' opinions on the area, and the results found that of the 195 respondents, only three were in favour of the bus priority option.
But plans continued to progress, prompting a petition against the proposals that garnered 2,868 signatures and made it to council in 2022-2023.
Speaking of the decision to suspend the bus gate, Cllr Eamonn Keogh, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: 'Our approach has always been rooted in evidence and safety. We've used this trial to test the real-world impact of changes designed to make Portswood Broadway a safer, more attractive place to travel and spend time.
'The data shows that while the intended benefits are emerging, we must address unintended effects on surrounding roads.
'We are grateful to all residents and businesses who have taken the time to contact us to share their experiences with their thoughts about the trial.'
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