Portswood Bus-gate Trial 27 January
Project progress from SCC:
“We are now moving into the next project phase which will trial a part-time bus/taxi/cycle-only section of Portswood Road, between St Denys Road spur and Westridge Road, and Active Travel Zones in neighbouring streets, both from early 2025.
By restricting general traffic through the Broadway but still allowing access to car parking spaces, the project aims to improve bus journey times and deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
The bus gate and ATZs will both be introduced on a trial basis for a minimum of 6 months to assess the potential impact. The part-time bus/taxi/cycle-only section will be operational Monday to Saturday between the hours of 7:00am-10:00am and 4:00pm-7:00pm. During the trial, access will be maintained northbound through the bus gate for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), with a loading bay proposed for St Denys Road spur. In addition to this, we are looking to introduce the following improvements to the area:
- 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.
Some preparatory works will be required during November, December and January. Details of these and any associated traffic management will be communicated in advance on the project website and by letter to directly affected residents.
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.”
More here: Latest SCC Update
SCC Project Objectives
As part of the trial, the level of achievement of each of the following objectives for the Portswood Project will be measured by Consultants working for SCC:
- To regenerate and make Portswood District Centre a more attractive, accessible, vibrant and competitive economic destination so people spend more time and money here
- To improve the air quality, environment and biodiversity
- To provide more space for people walking and wheeling with improved connectivity and road safety
- To improve the choices of transport modes for people to use
- To improve bus reliability and journey times and create better bus stops
- To enhance quality of life for all who live, work or shop in the area
- To reduce the amount of through route traffic on local roads
- To reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
Key Performance Indicators
The Steering Group, which includes several members of HRA and partner residents’ associations, helped the Project Team to draw up Key Performance Indicators by which the success of the trial will also be measured.
Base data
The base data or starting point will soon be released by the Consultants. It is expected that this would include details such as current through traffic vehicle movements (7am-10am and 4pm-7pm) through Portswood Broadway and through the Active Travel Zone (ATZ), bus journey times and anti-social behaviour figures. These can then be measured for improvements during the six-months of the Trial.
HRA Monitoring
At the HRA Committee Meeting on 7 January it was agreed that HRA should seek the support of members to also monitor the Trial. There are some aspects that members could not measure like air quality and members would only have a perception on whether it was safer to cycle and there was more space to walk.
The details of the HRA monitoring are currently being prepared and members will be advised in due course. HRA will be contacting members at intervals throughout the first six months of the Bus-gate Trial to enlist their support in monitoring of the project from the viewpoint of residents on the ATZ, local roads and Portswood Broadway Bus-gate. Member involvement will be entirely voluntary.
It is intended that HRA will use aspects of the Monitoring Plan Summary, alongside the KPIs and their success criteria, that are available to ordinary people i.e. not scientists or professional planners, and ask members to make observations at regular intervals. These will be collated and summarised.
HRA will work with partner Residents Associations where appropriate. |