Southampton: Traffic bollards make Archery Road 'more unsafe'

Since the traffic calming measures were finished on Saturday, October 28, residents have reported seeing at least four incidents where drivers collide with the bollards head on.

Lana Martin, 24, has lived in Bevan Close, just off Archery Road, with her mum and stepdad her entire life.

She says that these measures are totally unnecessary and have had the opposite effect to what Southampton City Council intended.

Lana Martin has lived next to Archery Road here entire life (Image: Lana Martin)

She said: “These bollards have made most residents feel more unsafe than before.

“The council have not properly tested the new traffic calming measures to make sure they are safe and effective.

“The road is poorly lit at night time and drivers are most likely expecting to see the prior road layout.

“Even worse is the fact that the signs on the road that warn drivers of the new layout are barely visible and blocked by the trees on the side of the road.”

Lana admitted that before the calming measures were introduced, drivers did travel down the road at dangerously high speeds.

She continued: “I believe that the council should have considered alternative options given the danger this has caused.

“A speed camera or light up speed warning would have been much more effective – the bollards are totally unnecessary.

“Buses also struggle to get through the tight gap in the road.

“The road has been closed for over two months in order to make it safer for those that live here, but now the road is more dangerous than ever.”

READ MORE: M27 in Southampton closed for hours due to flooding

Speaking on the new traffic calming measures, opposition councillor, Jeremy Moulton said: "This unwanted and dangerous road change is a direct consequence of the anti-motorist zealotry which grips our Labour Councillors.

"By putting bollards in the middle of the road without proper reflective strips, without proper signage and switching the street lights off at night, Labour have made the road massively more dangerous.

"In less than a week there have been four accidents, whereas in the previous 22 years there had been just three accidents."

In response to Lana's claims, a spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: “Archery Road was one of the locations identified in consultation with residents as part of the Woolston and Itchen Active Travel Zone as needing safety improvements with the speed reduction scheme implemented being co-designed with local residents.

"Because of the recent incidents on Archery Road, we have added temporary additional signage and pedestrian barriers to the buildouts and will be replacing the damaged bollards with keep left/keep right reflective posts on the outside of all islands, to make the direction of travel around the island more explicit to drivers.”