Councillors approve controversial bus lane plans in Eastbourne

Controversial plans to install new bus lanes in Eastbourne have been approved by county councillors.

On Wednesday (October 15), East Sussex County Council’s planning committee agreed not to uphold objections raised in connection with a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), which proposes a package of restrictions on the A259 as part of the authority’s wider Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

These restrictions will allow for the creation of two new bus lanes: an eastbound bus lane in Seaside, between the road’s junction with Windermere Crescent and Seaside Roundabout; and a westbound bus lane in St Anthony’s Avenue, between Langney Roundabout and Seaside Roundabout.

Other restrictions within the TRO also allow for new and upgraded pedestrian crossings in several areas, as well as the creation of a time-limited parking area in Seaside.

The plans had proven to be controversial among Eastbourne residents, with the county council having received 544 objections over the course of several formal consultations.

These objections were shared by St Anthony’s division councillor David Tutt (Lib Dem), who highlighted residents’ concerns around air quality, congestion, pedestrian safety and loss of parking.

Cllr Tutt said: “There will be considerable loss of parking along the route and the impact of that will be that the residential roads that flow on to Seaside will receive far more cars and vehicles parked there outside of people’s homes.”

He added: “What do we say to those 544 people about local democracy if their views are going to be totally ignored? Their trust in local democracy is that their voices will be heard, but [with] these plans 93 per cent of the people who have responded to the consultation will be overridden if this goes ahead.

“I beg you to refuse the plans. To accept them will make the lives of people living in the area that I represent — both those of residents and the business community — an absolute misery.”

Eastbourne councillor Pat Rodohan (Lib Dem, Upperton) took a different view.

Cllr Rodohan said: “I am very conscious of the increase in the population around Eastbourne and the importance of Seaside as a route into Eastbourne for local residents, for the businesses and for our public services. Many times of day that area is gridlocked.

“We need more and faster bus services and faster movement of traffic. There is never going to be a perfect scheme, but I am hopeful that the substantial changes that have happened to the scheme will alleviate much of the worries of the residents and the businesses.

“For that reason, I have decided I will put my hand up and backing this scheme.”

In a report to the committee, officers said the ‘substantial changes’ referenced by Cllr Rodohan had been made in response to public feedback during consultation.

These changes included: the creation of the new limited waiting parking area in Seaside; the addition of extra zig-zag strokes across Southbourne Road, Finmere Road and Queens Crescent; and allowing cyclists to use the bus lanes.

Officers told committee members further revisions would mean the scheme would ‘lose the benefits of faster bus journeys and create further issues’.
Through a unanimous vote, the committee ultimately agreed not to uphold the objections to the TRO.

Proposing this decision, Labour Godfrey Daniel said: “I think overall I am on the side of public transport and I think the scheme, whilst not perfect, is better than it is now, because everything we hear about now is not good.”

He added: “It is not perfect, but this will make transport by bus so much simpler and there will be road improvements and infrastructure improvements, which will be of general benefit to the people of Eastbourne.”

During the same meeting, the committee considered a second TRO connected with bus improvements in Eastbourne. This TRO had focused on the area surrounding Eastbourne’s railway station.

It had proven to be significantly less controversial than the other scheme, generating only 29 public representations during consultation. According to officers, 14 of these representations were submitted in support and 15 were objections.

Some of the restrictions are intended to allow for the introduction of a new eastbound bus lane on both Upperton Road and Station Parade, running between Wharf Road and the railway station.

Other measures allow for upgrades to an existing staggered pedestrian crossing on Station Parade and changes to the road layout in other areas.

These changes to the road layout had initially included ‘no right turn’ restrictions between Upperton Road and The Enterprise Shopping Centre’s car park.

Following public feedback, officers had recommended part of this restriction could be dropped.

The amended scheme would have meant vehicles would be allowed to turn right into the shopping centre’s carpark from Upperton Road, but not turn right when leaving the car park. It was noted how an existing area of road island would be removed to make this manoeuvre possible.

But the committee heard concerns from Denise Harwood, the shopping centre’s commercial director. She argued the right hand turn and bus lane could cause safety and congestion issues for car park users.

Ms Harwood concluded by saying the committee should defer its decision to allow for further modelling on the proposals to be undertaken. This position was supported by both Cllr Tutt and Cllr Rodohan.

The committee reached the same conclusion, opting to defer its decision on the TRO until its meeting in December.