CONCERNS have been raised over temporary changes on a major Southampton road.

Royston Smith, MP  for Southampton Itchen, is urging civic chiefs to review the temporary bus and cycle lane along the A3024 Bitterne Road West.

It comes as part of the carriageway between Union Road and  Maybray King Way has been turned into a temporary lane for buses, cyclists, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Civic chiefs stressed the measure is temporary and aimed at tackling pollution.

But Mr Smith claimed he has received about 200 complaints from local residents in less than 24 hours.

He said the public should be consulted and the consultation should be publicised to ensure all residents in the city are aware of the scheme.

He has urged Southampton City Council to review the plans and added: “You need to put your programme to the people.We all want cleaner air. Taking out lanes and narrowing others does not achieve that. Instead it makes it worse. Idling traffic is a significant cause of pollution and by implementing these changes the council will be damaging the health of residents not improving it.”

He said the measures are not in line with Government’s recommendations.

Mr Smith added: “The Government’s instructions are clear. Do not use public transport unless you have to.  We need to encourage people to use cleaner, greener transport, for example electric vehicles where possible. Of course, public transport is positive where practical but we should also be encouraging commuters to use e-bicycles and e-scooters (when they become legal) to deal with Southampton’s surrounding hills. You can’t force people out of their cars without an alternative and currently that doesn’t exist.”

The council said the temporary bus and cycle lane is part of the authority’s Green Transport Recovery Plan.

The city council said the scheme will be reviewed weekly.

Cllr Christopher Hammond, council leader, said: “Every major city in the world is grappling with congestion and air pollution. Our city needs to respond to these challenges and we’ve a once in a lifetime opportunity to try something different.The Conservative Government has asked Councils to put measures in place to encourage sustainable transport with the lifting of the lockdown and providing us with the funding to look at trials like Bitterne Road West. They’ve granted powers to enable consultation to happen when a scheme is in place, rather than before its implemented.”

Residents can have their say on the changes by writing to traffic.orders.legal@southampton.gov.uk