MULTI-MILLION pound plans to transform Southampton are set to be reviewed as the Conservatives take control of the city council.

Several projects including a £18.5m transport plan, the pedestrianisation of Bedford Place, and plans to revamp the Sports Centre and create a new hub with a state-of-the-art leisure centre in Bitterne were unveiled by the Labour administration over the past year and a half.

But the projects are now set to be reviewed after the Conservatives took control of the council.

Tory leader Cllr Dan Fitzhenry said the cycle lane on Bitterne Road West will be removed “immediately”.

He also said Bedford Place is set to be reopened to traffic.

Some traders previously called on the council to reopen the road saying the move had turned the busy city neighbourhood into a “zombie apocalypse”.

Asked whether the road closure will remain in place, Cllr Fitzhenry said: “No. Our plan will be to reopen Bedford Place.

"The Carlton Place element that has got approval from the traders will stay but we will consult the traders on both Bedford Place and Carlton Place first.

"We have their information from the last six months, our plan currently based on that information is to reopen Bedford Place but we will consult those traders first to make sure that that works for them.”

Changes could also be made to the £18.5m transport plan unveiled in February this year.

As reported, the proposals include the closure of a number of roads to through traffic, changes to Six Dials, new transport hubs at Albion Place car park and by Southampton Central Station as well as new crossings, wider pavements and cycle lanes outside the civic centre.

Cllr Fitzhenry said: “The current transport plan as it stands – which is Labour’s transport plan – is not something that we will be fully endorsing.

"We will be reviewing it immediately. The pedestrianisation, the removal of main routes into the city, those things will not be staying but we will properly analyse what’s going on and then we’ll come forward with a revised plan shortly.

"We made the commitment to remove Bitterne bus lane, that will be happening as soon as we can.”

Talking about the projects which have already been approved he said: “The projects already been approved like the Bitterne hub, the Sports Centre and housing projects and other project,s we will be sensibly looking at these things and say 'do they meet the requirements of people in the city?'

"We’ll review them and then go forward from there. But we are absolutely committed to upgrading and investing in the Sports Centre, in the municipal golf course, investing in Mayflower Park and coming forward with a key plan to develop that part of the waterfront and Bitterne hub as well.”