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| Map of roads disruption in Western Southampton May 2026 Image: Causeway |
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| Collapsed sewer repair on Shirley High Street by Southern Water Photo: Southampton Independents (AP) |
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| Collapsed sewer repair on Shirley High Street by Southern Water Photo: Southampton Independents (AP) |
This week, the BBC and Daily Echo reported on Southern Water breaking its own water pipe and causing a high fountain on Shirley High Street, next to Shirley Precinct and all the shops on the main road.
It was the latest part of a farce involving a collapsed sewer, investigated and reported by campaigner Andrew Pope. He says:
"I was driving past these roadworks, which have been going for two months now.
My car got wet, I had to wind my window down so that I didn't get wet and my car didn't get wet inside from the water feature brought about by the incompetence of Southern Water and its contractors.
This disruption has affected residents and businesses. As a local businessman, I've contacted the Federation of Small Businesses to ask them to help me and other local business people.
As a local resident, I've also contacted the Council, local Lib Dem and Green councillors, Southern Water's contractors and local media.
Will the Labour-Run Council ever get a grip of our City's road works?
I already asked them to cancel the Balfour Beatty contract, which they refused to do, as reported by the Daily Echo.
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| Guess the Pothole Rownhams Road 2026 Image: Southampton Independents (AP) |
And I had to embarrass the Council and their Balfour Beatty contractors, by putting rubber ducks in the potholes, also reported by the Daily Echo. Many people heard about my actions to humiliate the Labour-run Council, and the serious point was for the Council to take control of our roads.
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| Extract from Andrew Pope Election Leaflet April 2026 Image: Southampton Independents / Independent Network |
So as the Council haven't got a grip, I am now placing more demands on the Council and councillors.
I want to see all those privatised utility companies - water, gas, electricity, telephone, broadband - have to PAY MORE FINANCIALLY to dig up our roads.
They should have never been privatised in the first place. Public services have been broken up and sold off for private profit, and it has not been for the benefit of taxpayers, citizens or businesses.
The permit system has been an utter failure, as proved by the huge amount of disruption across Southampton.
Now Southampton must have disruption charging, also known as lane rental. The former Cabinet Member for Transport botched its first attempt. There have been four different people in the role over the past two years:
1. Eamonn Keogh, who I called to be sacked, and he was,
2. Christie Lambert who was only in place for a short while, then
3. Alex Winning who lost his seat this month, now
4. Jacqui Rayment since the Full Council this week.Will the latest Councillor in that role finally sort this out? Past experience suggests not, but perhaps there is a faint hope."
