£850k Glen Eyre Road cycle scheme 'widely hated'

Southampton City Council’s project in Glen Eyre Road, Bassett, aimed to reduce traffic speeds and encourage promote active travel.

The £850,000 project included kerb build-outs on one side of the carriageway to narrow the road, replacing a mini roundabout with a raised table and a new signalised pedestrian crossing.

The route provides a connection between the University of Southampton campus and its largest halls of residence, as well as a link to Chilworth Science Park and Chandler’s Ford.

A ward councillor said they had not found anyone who liked the changes in Glen Eyre Road, while a senior Conservative described the new infrastructure as “widely hated”.

Cabinet member for environment and transport Cllr Eamonn Keogh said the scheme was safe and it had his backing.

The buildouts constructed as part of the scheme

The Labour member told councillors the changes had seen a fall in traffic speeds from near 30mph to closer to 20mph.

He said the feedback the council had received, including from the university, was very supportive.

Cllr Keogh said: “It is important to understand that what we are doing throughout the city supports our local transport plan about creating a more successful Southampton network, about creating a system for everyone and a better way to travel.”

Liberal Democrat ward councillor Richard Blackman said he had yet to come across anyone with a positive word to say about the scheme.

He said members of the Southampton Cycle Campaign felt Glen Eyre Road was now a less attractive route for cyclists.

Cllr Keogh said a safety audit had been carried out and no concerns were identified.

The cabinet member said the road was previously used as a rat run but the new infrastructure had made it a less appealing option for drivers.

Conservative councillor Jeremy Moulton said: “All the feedback I have had is that this new scheme is widely hated by residents and cyclists alike, not least because it forces cyclists into the middle of the road into oncoming traffic.”

The build-outs were “bizarre” and made the route more difficult for cyclists, Cllr Moulton said.

Cllr Keogh said: “What we need to do is change the way we all behave.

“We share a road space, whether you are walking, whether you are cycling or whether you are driving, and what’s important and what the build-outs do is encourage you to give way.

“Now the difficulty we always will have is people abiding by the Highway Code and what are our expectations about how that scheme works.

“Over time, what we are now seeing is the traffic speeds that were closer to 30 are now closer to 20 and that’s important because that means it is safe and it is also attractive (for cyclists).”

The 1.1km Glen Eyre quietway scheme, which was completed in January, was funded through the Government’s Transforming Cities Programme and makes up part of the Southampton Cycle Network.

At the full council meeting in March, a resident, who regularly travelled in Glen Eyre Road on an e-scooter as part of his commute, asked why potholes in the road were not filled in while the scheme was being installed.

Cllr Keogh said resurfacing was now in the highways team’s programme of work.