Works to replace the failed traffic lights at the Civic Centre junction in Southampton are set to last seven weeks - with road closures in place.

Southampton City Council's contractor Balfour Beatty is set to dig up and replace underground cables,  traffic lights and internal electrical systems at the junction.

Repairs were not carried out on the lights as parts needed are no longer manufactured, and the replacement works have been delayed due to wrangling over funding.

Now works are set to take place on November 4 and will last seven weeks. As reported, funding was originally secured in 2021 from Government, but the plans were axed due to inflation pushing up costs - and the council prioritised spending the money elsewhere.

New funding has been secured this year from the Department for Transport for the lights replacement.

Lane restrictions and temporary traffic signals will be in place from next Monday and staff will be on site during peak hours to help aid traffic. 

Councillor Eamonn Keogh, cabinet member for transport, said: ”We appreciate the disruption being experienced and are working hard with partners to minimise the impact it will have, both by starting the replacement work as soon as possible and by closing the centre part of the junction to allow the more used routes to flow for longer at a time.

“We would like to thank drivers, bus passengers and pedestrians for their patience while the works are ongoing and ask that people give themselves more time to make their journeys.”

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These works will be a combination of daytime and night-time working to minimise disruption, the council said.

There will be a closure in place on the two centre lanes of Havelock Road, between Western Esplanade and Portland Terrace.

(Image: SCC) By closing this section, the council said that the Civic Centre Junction will function more efficiently for the other routes, which comprise the majority of journeys. 

During the closures the following applies to traffic:

  • Arriving from Civic Centre Road, vehicles will only be able to turn left into Portland Terrace, or go straight on to Western Esplanade
  • Arriving from Portland Terrace, vehicles will only be able to turn left on to Western Esplanade, or right on to Civic Centre Road
  • Arriving from Western Esplanade, vehicles will only be able to turn left on to Havelock Road, or go straight on to Civic Centre Road
  • Arriving from Havelock Road, vehicles will only be able to turn left on to Civic Centre Road or right on to Western Esplanade
  • Vehicles travelling from Western Esplanade and Havelock Road will not be able to enter Portland Terrace from this direction and  vehicles travelling from Civic Centre Road or Portland Terrace will not be able to enter Havelock Road.

To access Havelock Road or Portland Terrace, there will be a diversion route using Western Esplanade and Civic Centre Road respectively.