Works complete on Millbrook Road East 'Quietways' scheme
Work improves cycling and walking into the city centre
Southampton City Council with its highways partner, Balfour Beatty Living Places, has completed a project to improve Millbrook Road East for pedestrians and cyclists and develop the Southampton Cycle Network (SCN) on the SCN1 Western Cycle Freeway.
The Quietways scheme was designed to calm traffic and make cycling and walking into the city centre and around the area a safer and more attractive option for people. The works follow on from the whole road being resurfaced last year and have seen the introduction of:
- A widened shared use cycleway and footway from Paynes Road into Millbrook Road East
- A permanent closure to vehicles in the middle of Millbrook Road East outside the Key & Anchor pub with wooden bollards and planters
- A one way closure at the junction of Bourne Road with Shirley Road
- A one way closure at the junction of Millbrook Road East with Shirley Road with the creation of a pocket park
- Continuous footways along Millbrook Road East giving pedestrian priority at the junctions of Varna Road, Almond Road, Park Road and Cracknore Road
A crew will be returning when the weather is warmer to imprint the new crossings and closures with a block paving effect that will be painted light grey.
Supporting active, healthy, green communities
This scheme is a part of Southampton City Council’s plans to create an environment where people can travel actively in their local neighbourhoods. We are seeking to work with communities, businesses, retailers and partners to develop these neighbourhoods into attractive, healthy, safe and vibrant places where local trips are walked or cycled rather than driven.
The scheme cost including the resurfacing was £434k with funding secured from the Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) for advanced works associated with the introduction for a clean air zone.
Completing the SCN1 Western Cycle Freeway
The SCN1 Western Cycle Freeway is the main cycle route into Southampton city centre from Totton and the New Forest. It is a key part of our ambition to deliver the Southampton Cycle Network (SCN) that aims to make it safe and easy for people to cycle from their front door to where they want to go. The SCN1 will be the first major route on the network to finish when works complete on a new segregated cycle way on Third Avenue.
If you would like support with changing the way you travel and getting more active check out the range of events, activities and free advice available from our My Journey team as part of their Move in March campaign.
Cllr Jacqui Rayment, Cabinet Member for Transport & Public Realm, said:
"It is great to see the Quietways scheme completing in Millbrook Road East. We want to work with more communities to make changes to the transport system that make local trips on foot or by bicycle safer and more attractive.
"This is also a key piece of the puzzle in completing the SCN1 Western Cycle Freeway as a real alternative for the thousands of people travelling into the city every day along Millbrook Road from that are thinking about swapping four wheels for two."
