CONCERNED parents using a Southampton nursery fear their children's lives will be turned upside down by roadworks planned by the city university.

The £1m proposals to spruce up University Road with landscaping, a cycle lane, pedestrian scheme and traffic-calming measures are being done in time for the university's Golden Jubilee celebrations next year.

But Annie Taylor, vice-chairman of the parent staff association for the nursery, said the work should be held-up until the nursery moves in 2004.

She said: "The nursery is really valued by all the parents who use it but it is not in ideal accommodation.

"These roadworks are due to last ten months and it will be happening within feet of the room where the babies sleep."

The nursery, which was praised during its last Ofsted inspection, looks after youngsters aged from four months to five years. At any one time there will 64 youngsters on site, Annie said.

Mrs Taylor, whose three-year-old son Seth attends the nursery, complained that outings to such venues as the city library and Southampton airport may also be put on hold as it would be too dangerous with the roadworks on their doorstep.

At the highways panel meeting, councillors said they were unhappy with some details of the scheme and voted for the proposals to be looked at again by officers.

At the two-hour debate in the council chamber many parents voiced their fears to councillors.

Afterwards, chairman, Cllr Paul Russell said: "It was an ill-thought out scheme and they should really have consulted groups such as the nursery more.

"We asked for the decision to be deferred back to officers so they can go away with the university and look at aspects again - then it will come back for final agreement."

Peter Reader, director of external relations for the university, said there was bound to be a temporary inconvenience from the roadworks but felt some of the parents' fears were overstated.

He said the road scheme had been welcomed by local residents when they were consulted about the plans.

"The proposals are the right sort of thing that we should be doing to improve the university and they are being supported by the city council's officers.

He said: "Inevitably with any initial building works there will be disruption - but we will be trying to keep that disruption to a minimum."