Transport secretary shown future of area around Southampton Central Railway Station

Norman Baker Norman Baker

TRANSPORT minister Norman Baker was in Southampton today to see for himself ambitious plans to keep the city moving.

He was invited by city bosses to see how £2.5million Government money had been spent on the bus network as well as Southampton Central Station and the surrounding area.

Mr Baker said: “I am here today because I have been able to allocate Southampton some funds which are designed to encourage sustainable transport locally and demonstrate how relatively small sums of money can be used productively.”

This includes the new Brompton Dock facility for folding bicycle hire at Southampton Central station and a new real time information system for the city's bus stops.

Mr Baker said: “We are determined to invest carefully to help economic growth and cut carbon and that is why we are allocating funds.”

The minister also hopped on a bus to see for himself the WiFi connectivity on the city's buses, before meeting apprentices refurbishing buses and jobseekers benefiting from free bus passes to help them to interviews.

City leader Richard Williams said it was also important to invite Mr Baker to given him a chance to see Southampton's transport regeneration plans in person as the city vies with other local authorities for funding.

He said: “By coming today he has seen how Government money has affected change and how we can deliver. We wanted to be advocate for Southampton so we can work with the Government to lead to investment here and show what we could do.”

This included the work that has already revamped the south side but Mr Baker also saw plans to modernise the north entrance.

Under ambitious new plans the front will be transformed with landscaping and seating areas while the rundown Wyndham Place Plaza opposite will be converted into attractive square with potential to stage events.

Comments(21)

sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!

It's great Southampton has got the money to improve the transport services but just a shame that now the train station has been smartened up, they will be charging customers to use the toilets (even though everybody on the platform has already paid for a ticket) and I haven't see any bus real time tables that work!

Forest Resident says...
11:55am Wed 20 Mar 13

Meanwhile the cycle path from Southampton Central Station to Totton (which forms a vital part of the city's transport infrastructure) is rapidly falling into a state of disrepair and any reports to the council regarding this are met with apathy and a refusal to act. The council are telling one thing to the politicians and another to the tax payer, it's a complete farce.

Avery T Decanary says...
12:11pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Perhaps he came to admire the thousands of totally useless sets of traffic lights the city has and to ask questions about when some kind of coherent traffic management strategy is to be introduced.

Finally, why is the eastern side of the city taxed to enter the city centre via the Itchen Bridge while the western side has a dual carriageway with no tolls.

Mr E says...
12:13pm Wed 20 Mar 13

so.To sum things up they have spent £2.5 million on a glorified bike rack and wi-fi hot spots on buses.

Then they spend time slapping themselves on the aback telling themselves how wonderful they are


Fantastic.

Brusher Mills says...
12:51pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Avery T Decanary wrote:
Perhaps he came to admire the thousands of totally useless sets of traffic lights the city has and to ask questions about when some kind of coherent traffic management strategy is to be introduced. Finally, why is the eastern side of the city taxed to enter the city centre via the Itchen Bridge while the western side has a dual carriageway with no tolls.
Maybe because the western side doesn't have a river to cross to enter the city centre.

Avery T Decanary says...
1:28pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Brusher Mills wrote:
Avery T Decanary wrote:
Perhaps he came to admire the thousands of totally useless sets of traffic lights the city has and to ask questions about when some kind of coherent traffic management strategy is to be introduced. Finally, why is the eastern side of the city taxed to enter the city centre via the Itchen Bridge while the western side has a dual carriageway with no tolls.
Maybe because the western side doesn't have a river to cross to enter the city centre.
The River Test is on the west side I seem to recall. There are also flyovers over roundabouts and the main railway line to Bournemouth. The east side just has traffic lights and a toll bridge.

pompeythesinkingship says...
1:43pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Did he pay for his bus journey or was it paid for out of his (our) expenses

Cyber__Fug says...
3:38pm Wed 20 Mar 13

sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......

kingnotail says...
3:49pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that

100%HANTSBOY says...
4:49pm Wed 20 Mar 13

kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !

kingnotail says...
4:51pm Wed 20 Mar 13

100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.

downfader says...
5:53pm Wed 20 Mar 13

So. If SCC pave over the front of the station.. will they let it fall apart and develop large holes and ruts as has happened by the Civic?

The cycle route to Totton is a complete mess:

http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=w_P06z3qP
sE

I dont think its ever been repaired in the 15 years I've been riding it.

Avery T Decanary has a point too. There are several traffic lights that seem pointless. The left-turn lane here:

http://goo.gl/maps/5
GLGh

Should be a filter light that comes green with traffic to the left gets the go. SCC seem to have been asked to provide this by a few peeps (I know I wasnt the only one that emailed them)

It also desperately needs a dropped kerb to allow cyclists to legally access the toucan crossing.

100%HANTSBOY says...
5:57pm Wed 20 Mar 13

kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.
Lol! Very good response! You are a comic genius!

kingnotail says...
6:15pm Wed 20 Mar 13

100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.
Lol! Very good response! You are a comic genius!
Says the cleverly named "100%HANTSBOY"

100%HANTSBOY says...
6:51pm Wed 20 Mar 13

kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.
Lol! Very good response! You are a comic genius!
Says the cleverly named "100%HANTSBOY"
Yep 100% Born in Aldershot,educated in Winchester,and now live in Southampton 100%

How about you,kingnoballs?

Are you going to tell us where you're from?

loosehead says...
9:31pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Wasn't all this in the Tories blueprint, wasn't the train station & Wyndham area up for a transformation? Wasn't there a lot of people slating their Vision for a future Southampton?
Looks like Labour are claiming yet another Tory project as their own?

sotonboy84 says...
9:52pm Wed 20 Mar 13

kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.
Lol! Very good response! You are a comic genius!
Says the cleverly named "100%HANTSBOY"
Oh, you still about? Not left the terrible dump that is Southampton yet?

You seem to spend a lot of time reading and commenting about a place you detest so much.

Brusher Mills says...
11:14pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Avery T Decanary wrote:
Brusher Mills wrote:
Avery T Decanary wrote:
Perhaps he came to admire the thousands of totally useless sets of traffic lights the city has and to ask questions about when some kind of coherent traffic management strategy is to be introduced. Finally, why is the eastern side of the city taxed to enter the city centre via the Itchen Bridge while the western side has a dual carriageway with no tolls.
Maybe because the western side doesn't have a river to cross to enter the city centre.
The River Test is on the west side I seem to recall. There are also flyovers over roundabouts and the main railway line to Bournemouth. The east side just has traffic lights and a toll bridge.
Yes, I know the River Test is to the west of Southampton, but you said 'why is the eastern side of the city taxed to enter the city centre via the Itchen Bridge.' etc

I was referring to the fact that the western side of the city does not have to cross a river to enter the city centre. The people who live in the western side of Southampton do not need to cross the River Test to enter the city centre do they?

kingnotail says...
12:54pm Thu 21 Mar 13

100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.
Lol! Very good response! You are a comic genius!
Says the cleverly named "100%HANTSBOY"
Yep 100% Born in Aldershot,educated in Winchester,and now live in Southampton 100%

How about you,kingnoballs?

Are you going to tell us where you're from?
100% inbred then? Ever left the boundary of 'wonderful' Hampshire?

loosehead says...
3:51pm Thu 21 Mar 13

Avery T Decanary wrote:
Perhaps he came to admire the thousands of totally useless sets of traffic lights the city has and to ask questions about when some kind of coherent traffic management strategy is to be introduced.

Finally, why is the eastern side of the city taxed to enter the city centre via the Itchen Bridge while the western side has a dual carriageway with no tolls.
You don't have to go over the Toll bridge but you choose to so sorry that's a lame statement

100%HANTSBOY says...
5:28pm Thu 21 Mar 13

kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
100%HANTSBOY wrote:
kingnotail wrote:
Cyber__Fug wrote:
sotonboy84 says...
11:43am Wed 20 Mar 13

He doesn't look too impressed at what he sees!!


Probably because he has just seen you know who from Millbrook approaching ......
Any part of Southampton will do that
Yawn !
Yes, incredibly boring city tell me about it.
Lol! Very good response! You are a comic genius!
Says the cleverly named "100%HANTSBOY"
Yep 100% Born in Aldershot,educated in Winchester,and now live in Southampton 100%

How about you,kingnoballs?

Are you going to tell us where you're from?
100% inbred then? Ever left the boundary of 'wonderful' Hampshire?
I'm still waiting kingnobottle!

What are you afraid of?

Worried that you might be ridiculed?

Come on,break the silence,please!

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