By Maria Zaccaro, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to pedestrianise, maintain, and then reopen Bedford Place to traffic are expected to cost around £180,000.

 

 

City leaders have confirmed that road changes in the Bedford Place area, as well as a number of other measures, have cost £178,000.

Bedford Place, Carlton Place and Lower Banister Streets were closed to traffic last August to allow outdoor seating.

But Bedford Place only reopened this month after local businesses said the road closure hit trade.

Southampton City Council said the £178,000 spent on the scheme came from government grants and contributions from GO!Southampton.

According to the council, £70,000 was spent on implementing the pedestrianisation in Bedford Place, Carlton Place and Lower Banister Streets. The amount includes the costs for surveys, planters, barriers, signage, staff time and the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order.

The authority said cost for ongoing maintenance to date is £43,000 while an extra £65,000 has been spent to reopen Bedford Place to vehicles and fund other measures.
The council said the £65,000 includes: the cost of the removal of the painted street art; adjustments to the pedestrianised section on Carlton Place; the addition of enhanced protection alongside the suspended parking bays on Bedford Place to enable smaller businesses to retain their outdoor seating. 

Approximately £1,250 of the £65,000 has also been spent on the installation of the zebra crossing outside Sainsbury’s, but the council said the bulk of the measure was previously agreed and funded.

GO!Southampton funded the barrier painting and painted street art, the council said but the exact cost is yet to be revealed.

The authority confirmed that the barriers will be used alongside the suspended parking bays and to enforce the pedestrianised section on Carlton Place. If barriers are not needed in the future in Bedford Place then the council will use them “for other initiatives as required”, the authority said.

City leaders have expressed mixed reactions on the trial and its cost.

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith (Con) said “there were many schemes” which were “a complete waste of taxpayers money” and “Bedford Place was one of those”.

He added: “It was never about Covid it was always about forcing people out of their cars. The new council has found the right balance between pedestrians, diners and vehicles. Sadly the wasted money is just that, wasted.”

But Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test (Lab), said: “I don’t think ripping up a scheme which would allow people to safely socialise as Covid infections spike is a good use of public money nor is it helpful for the economic recovery for local businesses.”

Shadow cabinet member for transport Cllr Sarah Bogle (Lab) said the scheme was  “an investment in public health during a pandemic as well as a support to businesses”.
Leader of the opposition Cllr Satvir Kaur (Lab) added: “Labour in power helped bring this space alive, creating a destination place, which has proven hugely popular among local people that the new Tory council have chosen to ignore.”

Cllr Jeremy Moulton (Con), deputy leader and cabinet member for growth, said: “The costs have all been met by central government and so there is no direct impact on the local taxpayer.

“The Conservative administration has sought to have a balanced approach which takes account of all views. It would have been wrong to ignore the majority of businesses who wanted the road reopened and Labour councillors who would do this need to explain why they think they know better that the businesses in Bedford Place.

“We will be reflecting the broader aspiration for more café culture in the ongoing pedestrianisation of Carlton Place and Upper Banister Street and we are pleased to have found a solution for four of the businesses on Bedford Place where they can safely retain the outside tables and chairs.”