Portswood Broadway: Residents protest City Council's plans

More than 200 members of the community were out in force on Saturday, holding up banners and chanting "Save our shops" and "Save our Portswood". 

It comes in response to plans by the city council to close the broadway off to vehicles in a bid to reduce traffic, improve air quality and create green spaces.  

But Kamal Naier, who owns Indian Restaurant, Kohinoor of Kerala, said the scheme is going to "kill Portswood", adding: "All the customers will be gone."

Ikamal Naier at the Portswood Broadway protest. (Image: NQ)

Last week it was revealed the Broadway could be partly pedestrianised for six months with active bus, taxi, and cycle-only zones at certain times of the day on a trial-basis.

But Kamal, 57, told the Echo: "This is going to have a massive detriment to my business. I don’t know why the council would do this to us.

“At the moment delivery drivers can come right outside our shop for takeaways. This will make journeys 15 minutes longer."

Donning megaphones and whistles, the protestors marched along Portswood Road for around an hour on Saturday morning, having started outside Trago Lounge. 

Abbotts Way resident, Jason Hood, 56, also attended the demonstration after he suffered a stroke in April last year.

Jason Hood at the Portswood Broadway protest. (Image: NQ)

He said that he could have died if the Broadway scheme had been in place at the time as it would have taken longer for the ambulance to reach him. 

“This is about risk to life – not politics. If someone needs an ambulance and the road is pedestrianised, it will take the services three or four times longer to reach them.

“In my case every second counted, and I was in hospital within 30 minutes. Had that taken longer – as is proposed in the Broadway scheme - my children may be without a father today.”

The council are due to consider responses to its consultation at a cabinet meeting tomorrow (January 16) when the scheme will either be signed off or scrapped. 

The consultation received 1,371 submissions, with 60 per cent saying the plans will "make Portswood a more attractive area".

Veronica White at the Portswood Broadway protest. (Image: NQ)

Veronica White, 92, has lived in Abbotts Way since 1961 and was also marching against the council’s plans.

She said: "I think the money could be spent on something more valuable.

“If they are really worried about pollution – start with the docks. They are only moving the emissions from one place to another.”

Meri Mackney at the Portswood Broadway protest. (Image: NQ)Meri Mackney, 70, has lived in Portswood for more than 50 years.

She said: “Pensioners are going to be affected terribly by this scheme – we often need a car close by the shop as we get older and can’t carry heavy shopping as far.

“It will cripple the independent businesses that people come from all across Southampton to visit.”