I'm Vijay, and I couldn't be more excited to welcome you to SoConnect – our brand new community for Southampton folks who give a damn about creating a more sustainable, accessible and vibrant city.

If I'm being honest, the timing just felt right to get something like this off the ground. After watching the Portswood project hit the brakes, and knowing we're facing so many other transport challenges (and opportunities!) across our city, it just felt like we needed a positive, local space to connect, share ideas, and cheer on the good stuff.

And that's exactly how SoConnect came to be! This is for everyone who believes we can make getting around Southampton better, our streets more people-friendly, and our neighborhoods places where we actually want to hang out. It's for those of us who want to raise our hands and say "Hell yes!" to smart, sustainable solutions that move our city forward.

My hope is that SoConnect grows into a welcoming and constructive hub where we can:

Talk openly about what's happening on our streets and with our transport options
Share our real-life experiences and bright ideas
Learn from each other's perspectives (even when we don't see eye to eye)
Highlight those fantastic local projects that deserve our support
Build a collective voice that's genuinely excited about Southampton's future

This is day one for SoConnect, and I'm honestly thrilled you're here right at the beginning. As we get this thing rolling, I'd love for you to:

Drop in and say hi! Tell us a bit about what brought you here or what gets you fired upabout our city's transport and urban spaces
Share what you're hoping SoConnect might become as we grow

Let's build something friendly, optimistic, and actually useful together. I'm really looking forward to seeing where we can take this.

Welcome aboard!

Cheers, Vijay