By Huw Oxburgh, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporter
Controversial proposals for new bus lanes in Eastbourne will go ahead, a senior county councillor has decided.
Cllr Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for transport and environment, agreed with plans to install new bus lanes along the A259, Seaside (main image / Google) and St Anthony’s Avenue.
The proposals, which were put out to consultation over the summer, are a revised version of plans considered by the council last year.
Previous plans involved bus lanes running on both sides, which was strongly opposed by residents and businesses due to the loss of parking spaces this would have involved.
Officers said the revised scheme addressed these concerns by only having the bus lanes on one side of the road. The revisions also include changes to road crossings, the removal of several traffic islands and new parking spaces.
But objectors argued the revised scheme remained unacceptable and even introduced new problems in terms of highway safety, pollution and congestion.
Speaking before Cllr Dowling made her decision, Jodie Atherton, a campaigner opposed to the scheme, said: “Our original issue was the almost 100 per cent loss of parking; our concerns this time is for the safety of the plans and the increased level of congestion that it will cause.”
Ms Atherton, who works for DB Domestics in Seaside , also voiced concerns about pollution and air quality as a result of idling traffic.
These concerns were shared by ward councillor David Tutt (Lib Dem), who also raised fears around the proposals creating new ‘rat runs’ in the surrounding area.
But the revised proposals had its supporters too.
Tom Nevill, a climate campaigner and lead petitioner for those in favour of the proposals, said: “Eastbourne holds a unique place in transport history and is home to the world’s oldest municipal bus company … [the town] now has the opportunity to honour this legacy and move closer to reach our goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
“One key step in reaching that goal is to make buses more convenient and reliable for everyone.”
Officers highlighted how in the consultation there were more people in favour of the changes than those opposed. This broke down to 56 per cent in favour of the scheme compared with 36 per cent against.
Officers said these results represented a “marked difference” when compared to results of the previous consultation, in which 76 per cent said they were strongly opposed to the original scheme.
Cllr Dowling said: “I know this is a very controversial, very emotive subject, particularly for those who live and work … within the area concerned.
“I am very pleased to see that we had a very good survey response as well. The increased support is there and the number of opposition has decreased to 37 per cent. For me that means officers have listened and have sought to address the concerns that were previously raised.”
Well I am sorry to hear this.
If county council think this is both a good use of limited finances and will reduce congestion and pollution they have obviously not either researched the route or even been along those roads at peak times.
With the pending government reduction in bus fare support and potential increases in fares this is a total waste of time. All it is going to do is push traffic along the seafront increasing side road congestion.