Plans to change the Itchen Bridge lights from blue to red are one step closer to reality.
At a meeting of Southampton City Council's cabinet yesterday, councillors gave the green light - or rather, the red light - to investigate changing the iconic bridge's colours following a campaign from a football fan.
Fed up with taunts about the bridge displaying the team colours of arch-rivals Portsmouth FC, Saints fan Perry McMillan used a centuries-old council tradition to convince officials to make the change.
READ MORE: Itchen Bridge name remains - but red and white lights a 'possibility'
In October, the annual court leet was held; run by the city sheriff, members of the public can make ‘presentments’ to the council on anything they deem to be important.
At the time, Mr McMillan said: “As a born and bred Sotonian and Southampton Hackney Carriage taxi driver of over 25 years, I, Perry McMillan, wish that the blue lights on Itchen Bridge be replaced by red and white lights.
“The reason for this is that blue is the colour of our nearest neighbours and rivals Portsmouth! Hundreds of Southampton supporters travel across the bridge on foot or vehicles and have had a decade of mockery from Portsmouth supporters.”
In response, a council officer suggested they should investigate the practicalities of changing the lights.
Funding would need to be found and other parties like Network Rail, the Port of Southampton and the Civil Aviation Authority would have to be consulted due to safety issues.
The city sheriff, councillor Dave Shields, presented the officer's suggestions to the cabinet last night, which voted unanimously to approve them.
Speaking of the national attention the campaign has had, Cllr Shields said: “Several people have contacted me outside the council, whether outside the football stadium, waiting for the bus, or in the pub after the game.”
Council leader Satvir Kaur, who chairs the cabinet, said of the court leet as a whole: “It was great to see such a varied and vast number of proposals going forward.
“It just shows how passionate people are about the city and people remain ambitious for themselves, for their families and for the city.”
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