John Denham has written to the Southampton City Council about the traffic chaos around Bitterne Park Triangle.  The current roadworks have led to long delays for motorists and no proper crossing provision for pedestrians.  Several roads are closed including Bullar Road and Thorold Road while others, like the busy Cobden Avenue have alternate one-way traffic.  The first phase of the road works is expected to last for 9 weeks.

John Denham took action after he was contacted by one of the shop owners at the Triangle, which has also been hit by road closures.

John Denham said “It does appear that the Council has given little thought to the small traders at Bitterne Park Triangle who are already struggling to survive in the face of competition from supermarket chains.  The actual roadworks seem to be some distance from the Triangle and so I’m not sure why such a wide area has had to be impacted.  I am particularly concerned that the pedestrian crossing lights at the Triangle have been suspended as this is a main route to and from school for many children.

“The Triangle is unique in Southampton for the variety of small shops it offers and the Council should be supporting it and not making it harder for the shops to survive.  I would have thought that the Conservative City Councillors who previously stood as independent 'Support the Triangle' candidates could have intervened to help stop this chaos.”