Eastleigh Town Centre Pedestrianisation: What's Happening and What to Expect
A £1 million Levelling Up investment is reshaping Eastleigh High Street. Here's what the council has done, what the footfall figures show, and what happens next.
Eastleigh Borough Council confirmed in late 2024 that it would proceed with pedestrianisation of the town centre's main shopping streets — the High Street and Market Street between Leigh Road and Wells Place — using £1 million in Levelling Up funding.
The scheme was designed to improve the street environment for pedestrians and address long-running concerns about vehicle dominance in a town centre that was built before widespread car ownership. Hemingway Design, the consultancy run by Wayne Hemingway (co-founder of the Red or Dead fashion label), was appointed as masterplanner for the wider regeneration vision.
Initial interventions included removable bollards and new planters, installed at a cost of £10,000, to enable a trial pedestrianisation before permanent infrastructure is put in place.
What the footfall data shows
Independent footfall monitoring data showed mixed results during the first phase of the scheme. In January 2025, visitor numbers to the town centre were recorded at 242,754 — a 6% fall year-on-year. By November 2025, a council scrutiny report noted a 14% annual decline in footfall.
The council spent £308,000 on consultation and design work during the same period, a figure reported by Eastleigh News and which prompted debate among local councillors about the cost-effectiveness of the approach.
Council officers argued that footfall declines are a nationwide retail trend and that pedestrianisation was intended to address the long-term quality of the town centre environment rather than produce immediate visitor number gains.
The public reaction
A petition on 38 Degrees gathered signatures calling for extension of the road closures. Responses from local businesses were mixed — some welcomed the calmer street environment and easier pavement trading; others raised concerns about delivery access and reduced passing trade from drivers.
Free public Wi-Fi
As part of the broader town centre improvement programme, free public Wi-Fi was installed across the town centre and became operational in February 2026.
What happens next
The pedestrianisation trial is ongoing as of May 2026. The council is expected to report back on the results of the trial later in the year, with a decision on permanent infrastructure to follow. The Hemingway Design masterplan for the wider town centre is expected to shape any future proposals.
Sources: Eastleigh Borough Council news; Eastleigh News; 38 Degrees petition