On the first day of new traffic restrictions, many drivers ignored the rules, raising concerns among local residents about the effectiveness of the trial.
Southampton: So, the new traffic restrictions on Portswood Broadway kicked off, and guess what? Most drivers just ignored them. It’s kind of wild, right?
In just 15 seconds, a dozen cars zipped through the restricted area. And it wasn’t just cars; about ten cyclists were spotted in half an hour. Talk about chaos!
One local, John Nightingale, wasn’t shy about sharing his thoughts. He called the whole thing a “farce” and said it’s just a silly idea. He’s lived in the area for 34 years and thinks people will just find ways around it.
John also mentioned that the bus routes might get messed up because of this. He feels there’s not enough info out there about the closure, which is a fair point.
Now, the rules say only buses, taxis, and cyclists can use that part of the road during certain hours. But it seems like the trial is already facing a lot of pushback.
Back in 2020, the council even ran a survey about this, and only three out of 195 people liked the bus priority idea. That’s not a great sign, right?
Despite the opposition, the plans kept moving forward, and a petition against it got nearly 3,000 signatures. That’s a lot of people unhappy with the changes!
One council member, Cllr Jeremy Moulton, thinks this trial is just a way to eventually close the road to cars completely. He’s not surprised that drivers are ignoring the rules.
Tyler Jones, who owns a coffee shop nearby, also noticed a ton of cars breezing through. He thinks the signs aren’t clear enough and wonders why they didn’t try this in a busier season.
Another resident, who wanted to stay anonymous, said it looked like drivers were just going about their day without a care. It’s like they didn’t even notice the changes!
Southampton City Council was asked for a comment, but it seems like the community is still buzzing about what’s next.
