East Park Terrace in Southampton closed 'until 2024'

East Park Terrace, outside Solent University's building The Spark, has been closed as power company SSEN is currently replacing a cable in the street.

When SSEN finishes its unplanned work, Southampton City Council will then start converting it into a bus, taxi and cycle-only street in a £2.1m Government-funded scheme.

This means the road will not reopen until May next year.
The roadworks are due to a cable replacement and redevelopment of the street (Image: Ross Marshall)Councillor Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for environment and transport said: “I’m really pleased that works are starting on East Park Terrace, they will improve road safety and provide a valuable link between Solent University and the city centre. 

"The scheme supports our goal of creating a better-connected Southampton; bus journey times will significantly improve in and out of the city centre, specifically from Portswood.

"It will also enable quicker and smoother bus journeys to the proposed bus hub at Albion Place.

"These improvements will be supported by the upgrading of traffic signals on the Northern Inner Ring Road, amongst other improvements, which will subsequently improve journey times for motorists.” 

CGI representation of how the scheme may look when complete (Image: Southampton City Council)A diversion is currently in place at New Road, St Andrews Road, Charlotte Place. Council works start on October 16.

Ethan Habgood, a first-year student at Solent University, told the Echo: "The road being closed has just been really inconvenient in all honesty.

"When you are driving it is a long way around the road closure.

"I think the closures could have been managed better by closing off the road in small sections at a time rather than the entire road.

"I hope the disruption to the road doesn't last too long."

When complete only buses, taxis and cyclists will be able to use the stretch between Charlotte Place Roundabout and the New Road/Palmerston Road junction.

A council statement on the scheme said bus journey times will improve.

A university worker, who did not want to be named, told the Echo: "It's going to be great when it is done.

"The people at work that I have spoken to think it will be a good thing for the university.
"It can be a nightmare trying to cross the road when it is busy."

Stephen Manion, from GO! Southampton, said: "(We) are pleased to see improvements to the public transport in Southampton which makes the city centre a more pleasant and safer place to visit and use the wide range of shops, restaurants, and leisure facilities."

Professor James Knowles, vice chancellor at Solent University, added: "The proposals showcase Southampton as a safe, green, and progressive city.

"We are particularly excited about the East Park Terrace scheme: it will improve connectivity for our students, staff, and guests into the city centre via the parks, prioritising pedestrian and cycle-friendly environments along East Park Terrace.

"We are proud of our heritage and, having grown and evolved with our home city, we look forward to continuing to work with Southampton City Council as they grow the travel network, improve services, and enhance the city centre over the next couple of years."