OPPOSITION bosses have renewed calls to remove a temporary bus lane on a major Southampton road.

Cllr Dan Fitzhenry is urging Southampton City Council to remove the temporary bus lane on Bitterne Road West before schools reopen next month.

The news comes as earlier this week civic chiefs announced they will remove the controversial pop-up cycle lane on Bassett Avenue between Winchester Road roundabout and Chilworth Road roundabout.

The leader of the opposition at the city council is now urging the authority to also remove the bus lane on Bitterne Road West.

Cllr Fitzhenry said: “There’s the potential for traffic chaos. I am worried that there will be considerable congestion across the city if we don’t remove these bus lanes before schools go back.

"The traffic has been considerable already.”

As reported, he had previously called on the council to remove the bus lane on Bitterne Road West.

But he said that when schools will reopen next week traffic and pollution levels could also increase.

Cllr Fitzhenry said the money spent on the bus lane on Bitterne Road West could have been spent differently.

“Let’s have a sensible conversation about how we can create a sensible transport plan for the city,” he added.

As previously reported, the measures are part of the council’s Green Transport Recovery Plan (GTRP).

Cllr Steve Leggett, cabinet member for green city and place, said: “The council was asked to put measures in place to allow for environmentally friendly travel, by means of cycling, walking and public transport.

"During the time since these temporary road alterations have been in place, traffic has been monitored, and where the data shows significant delays or increase in traffic, decisions have then been made to remove them, as was the case with the cycle lane in Bassett Avenue.

"If the data demonstrates problems with the changes to Bitterne Road West, then a decision will be made on whether to remove the bus lanes or not.

"Demands from opposition members without the data to back them up are not appropriate reasons to make changes to any part of the GTRP.”

As reported, the council’s transport plan was “called back in” in July to be scrutinised further.

It came as opposition bosses and a number of residents raised concerns over some of the proposals.