THE next phase of works to improve walking and cycling around Southampton's first all-through school is set to start.

Just weeks ago, construction of the new £39.8million expansion of St Mark’s Church of England School in Shirley reached its highest point.

But now work is beginning on the latest phase of the new Active Travel Zone around the school, designed to improve travel for those going to and from the area.

Here are the full details:

When does the work start, and how long will it take?

Construction of the new improvements will begin on Monday, October 4 and is expected to take up to two months to complete.

It is expected to mitigate the impacts of increased traffic from the expansion of St Mark’s School and ensure the area is connected by improved cycle and walking links.

What changes are being made?

As part of this work, a new continuous crossing will be added as well as a new shared-use path.

Footways will also be widened with a new toucan crossing to be installed on Shirley Road linking to Western District Cut and a parallel crossing near Dyer Road.

On top of this, a continuous crossing will be added at the Malmesbury Road junction with Charlton Road with a continuous crossing at the junction with Malmesbury Road and Shirley Road set to be delivered in Summer 2022.

What closures will be in place?

The work has been split into four phases:

  • Phase 1a will see the installation of the new toucan crossing on Shirley Road next to Western District Cut start on Monday for three days. A closure of Cawte Road will be in place with four-way lights on Shirley Road, Howard Road and Paynes Road junction.
  • Phase 1b will include the installation of kerbs and footway reconstruction which will be carried out on Shirley Road in the south-eastbound lane and northern footway outside IMO Car Wash. Starting on Monday for two weeks, this will see Dyer Road closed and temporary two-way traffic lights put in as of October 7.
  • Phase 2a will last four weeks from October 7 and see the new toucan crossing added in on Shirley Road and a new continuous footway on Cawte Road. A closure of Cawte Road will be required as well as a contraflow system on Shirley Road.
  • Phase 2b includes kerb line excavation and footway works on Shirley Road in the north-westbound lane and southern footway outside The Rover Public House. This will start on October 13, lasting for eleven days with the road closure on Dyer Road due to remain in place during this phase, and temporary two-way traffic lights on Shirley Road.
  • Phase 3a includes footway works to install kerbing, tactile paving and footway reconstruction on Shirley Road next to Western District Cut. Starting on November 8, the work will last one week with Cawte Road remaining closed, and a contraflow system put in on Shirley Road.
  • Phase 3b will see the installation of new parallel crossing and a new continuous footway lasting four weeks from October 25. Dyer Road will remain closed.
  • Phase 4a sees carriageway lining and texprint carried out for two nights from November 12 between 8 pm and 6 am. Two-way traffic will be maintained during the first night of these works, and four-way lights will be implemented on Shirley Road, Howard Road, and Paynes Junction. Cawte Road will remain closed.
  • Phase 4b includes carriageway lining and texprint on Shirley Road and Dyer Road but dates and times have not yet been confirmed.