By bitternepark.info & Jamie Shapiro, Local Democracy ReporterThe council approved revised plans for the trial bus gate on a short stretch of Portswood Road during peak hours at a meeting on Tuesday (Jan 16).
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As reported, the revised plans will now only restrict private vehicles during peak hours rather than all day every day, and restrictions will now only be from the St Denys ‘spur’ by Trago Lounge to Westridge Road, rather from the St Denys road crossroads.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that a number of residents spoke at the meeting, including Loraine Barter, who said her concerns centred around the confusion the closure could bring to motorists, despite not being one herself.
Mr Janson said: “If the council is listening and if it is to act properly and democratically in the expenditure of public money, we have made our view very clear indeed. Could we please have an assurance that the council will not waste a penny of public money of even a trial of the one aspect that has been so overwhelmingly objected [,the bus gate]?”
And Karen Edwards voiced her view of how, just because the scheme is starting as a pilot, it still has the power to ruin local businesses in the time that it runs.
Summing up, and responding to multiple residents who spoke against the plan, cabinet member for environment and transport Cllr Keogh (Lab, Peartree), said: “We recognise the concerns that you are raising here today. And we are listening to them. And I do assure you we want to make sure that the outcome that we come to is going to be informed, is going to be balanced.
“But I would urge us all, if we can work collaboratively, and co-operatively together, to see whether we can secure a scheme that has the support of all, I think actually in time we will all welcome that.”
The trial was unanimously voted for by the council’s cabinet. The link to watch the meeting online is here