The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee were scheduled to meet to discuss the Portswood Broadway Transforming Cities Fund pilot scheme, receive an update on the draft Growth and Prosperity Plan, and monitor scrutiny recommendations to the executive.

Portswood Broadway Transforming Cities Fund Scheme

The committee was scheduled to review the pilot scheme for the Portswood Broadway section of Portswood Road, which is part of the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). The TCF is a Department for Transport scheme that awarded funding to Southampton City Region to deliver sustainable transport improvements, including better connections between Southampton City Centre and surrounding towns.

The report pack included a report from the Cabinet Member for Transport, and outlined observations made during the trial of the Portswood scheme. The report stated that in January 2024, the cabinet approved a trial of a part-time bus gate¹ and motor vehicle restriction on Portswood Broadway, accompanied by an Active Travel Zone² (ATZ) to limit the impact on adjacent streets. Community co-design workshops were held in July 2024 to help shape the design of the ATZ.

The bus gate went live on 27 January 2025, operating Monday to Saturday during peak hours. Other measures included prohibiting motor vehicles on Russell Place at its junction with Abbotts Way, buildouts on Brookvale Road and Belmont Road, and a 20mph speed limit for the area.

Some provisions, including the bus gate, were suspended in May 2025 following a review of interim traffic count data. The remaining elements of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) included a no right turn from Portswood Road (northbound) into St Denys Road and a mandatory contraflow cycle lane on St Denys Road. The provisions for Russell Place were suspended in June 2025.

The report pack included traffic count data taken before and during the trial, using permanent traffic count cameras, automatic traffic counts, manual turning counts, and bus data from the Department for Transport. Interim reports were published and shared with the Portswood Steering Group. A more detailed analysis, including crash data and air quality data, was delayed due to the suspension of the bus gate elements.

According to the report pack, the traffic count data showed:

• an increase in traffic on A335 Thomas Lewis Way;
• a decrease in traffic on Portswood Broadway;
• an increase in traffic on some residential roads, including Brookvale Road, Belmont Road, and Winn Road;
• a decrease in traffic on some residential roads, including Westwood Road and Russell Place;
• an increase in pedestrian and cycle numbers on Portswood Broadway;
• an improvement to the on-time running of bus services at Portswood Broadway.

A Road Safety Audit recommended the removal of one of the priority buildouts on Brookvale Road, and a further audit raised no issues after the removal.

During the trial, the council received 1,377 submissions, with 76% objecting to the scheme and 17% supporting it. Concerns included traffic displacement, pollution, safety, impact on businesses, and criticism of the consultation process. Supporters cited improved pedestrian and cyclist safety and cleaner air on Portswood Broadway.

Two petitions were received: one calling for the immediate halt of the Portswood Bus Gate trial (with 5,528 signatures) and another supporting the continuation of the trial (with 158 signatures).

As part of the trial, camera enforcement was carried out, with warning letters sent for first contraventions and Penalty Charge Notices issued for subsequent contraventions.

The Portswood Steering Group met five times during the project, providing advice and overseeing the trial. The Department for Transport was advised on the pause of the trial scheme.

The report pack stated that the spend to date on the project included £617,003 on trial measures and £503,279 on permanent measures. The remaining budget for the Transforming Cities Fund Portswood Corridor was £3,203,000, with outstanding commitments of £129,000.

The report pack included several appendices: monthly interim reports from January, February and March 2025, a three-month interim report, and a Road Safety Audit report.

Growth and Prosperity Plan

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the development of the draft Growth and Prosperity Plan (GPP), also known as the Local Growth Plan. The report pack included a report from Councillor Sarah Bogle, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Growth and Skills, and an accompanying slide deck.

The Growth and Prosperity Plan is intended to provide a coherent strategic framework, with clear delivery and monitoring arrangements, to enhance the council's ability to deliver strategic growth, unlock prosperity, and improve operational efficiency.

The plan will:

• Identify Southampton's key strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
• Develop a clear, unified vision for growth and prosperity.
• Build a prioritised pipeline of short to long-term strategic interventions.
• Focus resources on activities that unlock investment and promote inclusion.
• Enable cross-directorate collaboration to deliver shared objectives.

The vision for Growth and Prosperity in Southampton is for the city to be a thriving, inclusive, and green place to live, work, and visit, where local people benefit from new homes, good jobs, and vibrant places that celebrate Southampton's unique identity.

The key drivers and enablers for growth and prosperity include housing, transport, digital infrastructure, energy, regeneration, skills and labour, workspace, promotion, innovation, planning, culture, and environment.

The plan identifies several long-term objectives:

• Foster vibrant and resilient business communities and revitalised districts.
• Strengthen pride in the city and grow opportunity through culture, heritage, and the creative economy.
• Drive innovation and employment opportunities through Southampton's diverse sectors and strengths.
• Build a greener, more climate-resilient city, embedding sustainability across all activities.
• Ensure people have the right skills, support, and pathways to succeed at every stage in life.
• Deliver sustainable regeneration that ensures quality homes and creates vibrant, inclusive places to benefit all communities.
• Connect people, places, and opportunity through accessible and integrated transport and digital networks.
• Create a fairer, healthier Southampton where everyone can live well and belong.

The report pack also set out a clear project pipeline that will support the delivery of the growth and prosperity aspirations. The first five priority projects are:

1. Lead city-wide strategic housing delivery and neighbourhood regeneration.
2. Progress priority sites within Southampton's Renaissance Masterplan.
3. Invest in strategic transport infrastructure.
4. Invest in cultural and creative infrastructure.
5. Accelerate development of strategic and renewable energy infrastructure.

The report pack also included proposals for a dedicated programme management office (PMO) to oversee the delivery of the GPP priorities.

The council is expected to formally adopt the plan in the autumn, with a wider briefing session for all members planned in advance of that.

Monitoring Scrutiny Recommendations to the Executive

The committee was scheduled to monitor and track progress on recommendations made to the Executive at previous meetings. The report pack included a report from the Scrutiny Manager and an appendix setting out the recommendations made to the Executive at previous meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, and a summary of action taken by the Executive in response to the recommendations.