Council to 'investigate' bridge light change

A Southampton fan wants to get the colour of the lights on the Itchen Bridge changed from blue to red

The lights on Southampton's Itchen Bridge could change from Pompey blue to Saints red after the idea was unanimously agreed by the city's cabinet.

City resident Perry McMillan suggested it at the annual sheriff-run court leet in October, where members of the public can make "presentments" to the authority.

He said "hundreds" of Saints supporters use the bridge and "have had a decade of mockery from Portsmouth supporters".

Work can now commence on the practicalities of changing the colour of the lights, including how it would be financed and whether there would be any safety implications.

Perry McMillan used the court leet to make the suggestion

Mr McMillan, a "born and bred Sotonian and Southampton Hackney Carriage taxi driver of over 25 years", said "blue is the colour of our nearest neighbours and rivals Portsmouth".

Council officers said they were investigating the possibility of changing the lighting but said the current colour "forms part of the safety measures in place on the bridge and a change in colour needs to be considered by other impacted parties", such as Network Rail and the Civil Aviation Authority.

They also said that "if a change in colour was to be supported from a safety perspective, a relevant funding source would need to be found".

Sheriff Dave Shields attended the meeting on Tuesday and said there was "a lot of interest" in the issue and said he would be "very pleased to support the cabinet member" in making sure issues such as financing and safety were "picked up".