Have Your Say on Southampton’s Proposed ‘Red Route’ to Keep the City Moving

Southampton City Council has launched a public consultation on plans to introduce a no-stopping “red route” across several key roads in the city, aiming to ease congestion, improve safety, and help emergency vehicles travel more efficiently. The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultation opened this week, with residents, businesses, and community groups invited to submit their views before Friday 2 January 2026.

A red route is a type of restriction already used in cities such as London, where double red lines signal that vehicles may not stop at any time. The council says the measure is designed to “help keep traffic moving, prevent delays, assist with bus reliability, and improve safety for people walking and cycling.”

Under the proposals, the Southampton red route would begin at the corner of Western Esplanade, extend to the Ring Road, loop around Charlotte Place Roundabout to Dorset Street, and continue along St Mary’s Road. Existing yellow lines would be replaced with new double red lines, and updated signage would be installed to show the areas where stopping is prohibited.

Stopping along the route would be banned entirely—this includes for loading and unloading—except in designated bays that will remain in place. Private hire vehicles would be allowed to stop only in loading bays and bus stops. The council says these bays provide enough space for businesses and delivery services if used correctly.

Councillor Christie Lambert, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport, said the scheme is a key part of the city’s wider transport strategy.
“We’re committed to delivering better travel across the board as laid out in our Local Transport Plan,” she said. “By introducing red routes in key locations, our roads will be safer, congestion will be eased, and emissions will be reduced, which will help support our aim to be a net zero city by 2035. Most importantly, it will help emergency services pass through this route.”

Lambert stressed the importance of community engagement in shaping the final outcome.
“It’s really important that we hear from local residents, businesses, and community groups to help the council understand what the potential impacts will be on people,” she said. “I encourage everyone locally to have their say.”

The council says feedback from the consultation will help determine whether the red route goes ahead as proposed or whether adjustments are needed to minimise inconvenience while achieving safety and traffic-flow improvements.

Residents can view the full proposals and submit comments through the Connecting Southampton website until the consultation closes on 2 January 2026.