Itchen Bridge toll and long-stay parking charges to be reinstated in Southampton from next week

Following the government’s easing of national lockdown restrictions, and subsequent increase in motor travel across the city, Southampton City Council will reinstate the Itchen Bridge toll and charges in its long-stay car parks from 1 June 2020.

The Itchen Bridge toll was suspended on 24 March 2020 as one of several measures to help key workers and people supporting those in isolation in Southampton during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. Motorists have therefore benefited from over two months’ free use of the bridge.

Civic officials have been reviewing the suspension of the toll – which is used to manage the volume of traffic using the crossing and cover ongoing maintenance costs – over recent weeks and decided to reinstate the charges as more drivers are making longer journeys.

Motorists will need to pay during the following periods:

• Monday to Friday 7am-6pm
• Saturday 8am-6pm

A further decision on whether to apply the toll 24 hours a day (a return to its usual operation) will be made after three weeks.

Meanwhile, to manage increased demand for parking in the city centre, the council will also reinstate parking restrictions in its long-stay pay-and-display car parks from 1 June 2020. The council’s four barrier-controlled multi-storey car parks, listed below, will return to normal operation on the same date:

• Bedford Place
• Eastgate Street
• Grosvenor Square
• Marlands

This follows the reinstatement of enforcement in our short stay car parks on 11 May 2020 and will mean motorists will now need to pay to use all on street and off street pay-and-display areas in the city.

The only exclusions are West Park Road multi-storey car park, which is being maintained as a free facility for key workers, and ‘limited waiting’ areas where there are no pay-and-display charges in place.

Any season ticket and Zone A permit purchased before 3 April 2020 will have its expiry date extended by two months. This extension will be applied by Civil Enforcement Officers on their patrols, meaning paper season ticket holders won’t need to return their season tickets for the expiry date to be amended. The expiry date for season tickets held on pass cards for the barrier-controlled car parks will be automatically adjusted.

Residents who are categorised by the NHS as “extremely clinically vulnerable” and have vehicles parked in a council-run on-street or off-street parking facility should contact us before 1 June 2020 so that special arrangements can be made. Affected residents should call 023 8083 4800 (Monday-Friday, 8.30am-5pm).

Councillor Steve Leggett, Cabinet Member for Green City and Place, Southampton City Council, said: “With Southampton starting to get back to a ‘new normal’ we feel the time is right to reinstate these charges, so we can cover the cost of operating these facilities. I realise this might not be a popular decision, but we must continue to prioritise the delivery of frontline services and support for key workers at this time, which is why some of our facilities remain free for them to use. The steps we’re taking to help both vulnerable residents and season ticket holders will ensure no one is disadvantaged by these changes.”