BUSINESS leaders in Southampton have urged civic chiefs to make solving the city’s traffic woes a priority.

At a meeting designed to kick-start the debate about how the city develops over the next 20 years they said transport was one of their top priorities to make sure Southampton thrives in the future.

They also called on the council to investigate a new park and ride, work with other councils to get major developments off the ground and tackle air pollution.

They spoke at a briefing to launch consultation on what the city’s local plan and local transport plans should contain.

The local plan will outline where development should go and what should change in Southampton by 2036, while the transport plan is focused on how to improve its transport links over the next 15 years.

The full local plan is likely to be adopted in 2018 and the council held the briefing to gather the thoughts of dozens of businessmen, planners and representatives of other organisations in the city.

Council leader Simon Letts said the city faced “substantial issues, some of which have been created by our very success”, adding that Southampton has one of the fastest-growing city economies in England, that “creates problems as well as solutions”.

He said one challenge after the recent Budget was keeping hold of brownfield sites, or plots of land which have previously had developments on them as opposed to green space, for employment as opposed to housing.

Hampshire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stewart Dunn said the city had “not taken advantage fully” of its infrastructure links, while Sally Thompson, chief executive of Business South, said discussions over setting up a combined authority for Hampshire involving all of its councils would provide an opportunity to improve transport and skills.

The assembled businessmen were asked to list their priorities that should be addressed in the city, and many said transport, including the western approach roads and parking, should be improved while a park and ride facility should be considered.

The Daily Echo revealed last week that council leaders are now looking at whether a park and ride is feasible and where one should go as part of plans to cut the city’s woeful air pollution record.

The city has been hit by traffic chaos on several occasions over the last few years as accidents and congestion due to cruise arrivals has contributed to huge tailbacks crippling much of the city centre road network.

There was also controversy over the introduction of evening parking charges in the city centre that was criticised by some businesses.

With Southampton constrained by the city’s boundaries and the sea there was widespread support for better coordination with neighbouring councils to allow development to boost jobs and increase what the city and south Hampshire has to offer.

Part of plans for a proposed industrial complex at Adanac Park, which could create 3,600 jobs, were thrown out by Test Valley Borough Council despite support from the city council.

PEOPLE in Southampton are being urged to have their say on what the city looks like in 20 years’ time.

The city council has launched consultation on its next local plan and residents are being asked to take part in a survey about their views on future developments in the city.

As part of the survey, residents are being asked to say what their priorities would be in the years leading up to 2036, focusing on its economy; town and district centres; housing; health and education needs; transport and protecting the environment.

The survey takes place until early October and Residents can take part at www.southampton.gov.uk/newlocalplan.