Approval has been given to start bus improvements at Junction Road in Totton after the county council scrapped the original £1.5m scheme.

The Waterside bus corridor improvements plan will see £338,000 spent on upgrading bus stops and installing automatic vehicle location tech so passengers know where the bus is and how long they will be waiting.

In September, Hampshire County Council decided not to proceed with a proposal to create a new bus-only route by removing the paving that separates Commercial Road from the northern end of Junction Road in Totton.

Instead, the council has approved a new, more modest plan that aims to improve bus stops by giving buses priority at traffic signal junctions. There will also be changes at three junctions.

There was huge opposition to the original £1.5 million project, with harsh criticism from Totton county councillor David Harrison.

He said the scheme could pose serious road safety risks and warned that the ensuing construction work could leave Totton “crippled” by ongoing roadworks for months on end.

The council said the Waterside Bus Corridor improvements package will cut journey times – and by more than if the original plan had gone ahead. Officers said it would bring “greater benefit” and address local concerns.

Cabinet member for highways and waste, Lulu Bowerman, said the consultation provided valuable feedback for the council to take note of the local concerns and “strong” objections and allow the council to bring a new proposal for the area.

Cllr Bowerman said: “I think the result of that has been that we’ve got additional technology now coming in that will really benefit the scheme that we bought forward including the AVL.

“It’s a great improvement and addresses all the concerns of this particular scheme that’s coming forward as well, and is the best thing to bring forward.”