Improvement works started on Monday 2 October at the junction of Station Road and Cranbury Road in Sholing to make accessing Sholing Station in Southampton easier and safer for people walking, wheeling, and cycling.
A new zebra crossing will make it easier to cross Station Road to access Sholing Station, linking with a new pedestrian island at the junction of Station Road and Cranbury Road to make crossing Cranbury Road safer as well. A further safety measure will see the vehicle exit from Cranbury Road to Station Road become left turn only.
Phil Dominey, Senior Regional Development Manager at South Western Railway, said: “South Western Railway is delighted to be working with Southampton City Council in making walking, cycling and bus passengers’ access to Sholing Station safer and easier for people to use in the area. This supports South Western Railway’s objective to promote integrated sustainable travel from all stations and encouraging modal shift.”
The works are expected to take approximately six weeks to complete, with working hours between 7am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday. Restrictions will be in place throughout the duration of the works including the closure of the junction of Station Road and Cranbury Road and temporary two-way traffic lights to manage traffic crossing the railway bridge and passing the works area.
The improvements at Sholing Station are the first part in the delivery of the Eastern Quietway, a designated route between Miller’s Pond and the Itchen Bridge via Porchester Road for pedestrians and cyclists as an alternative to Portsmouth Road, funded by the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund. It was first suggested to residents in a consultation in Summer 2022, with a majority of respondents stating that the proposed measures would improve safety and reduce vehicle speeds along the route as well as encouraging active travel.
Councillor Eamonn Keogh, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “As a council, we are committed to ensuring that people have a meaningful choice as to how they get around Southampton and the Eastern Quietway will help to make walking, wheeling, and catching the train more accessible options for people living in Sholing, while also allowing those who choose to travel by car to travel more easily on Portsmouth Road.
“The proposed improvements will make an immediate difference to how people access Sholing Station, improving safety for all road users.”
