North Street has reopened to traffic today, after complete resurfacing of the road finished ahead of schedule.
Buses have been running up and down the busy road again since this morning after several weeks of having to divert along the seafront instead.
The works, which started on 18 September, were originally slated to take eight weeks but have instead been finished in just five and a half.
Southern Water, which carried out the work, said: “We’re pleased to say our road repair work in North Street has finished ahead of schedule. The road has now reopened and our traffic management has been removed.
“We’d like to thank everyone for their support and patience.”
Brighton and Hove Buses announced it was running services in both directions again this morning, adding on Twitter: “A huge sigh of relief from us and I’m sure most of our passengers!”
The work had to be carried out because resurfacing work undertaken a decade ago when Southern Water replaced the old Victorian water mains along a 400-metre stretch of the road had already begun to crumble.
During the works, bands regularly busked in the empty road and street artists drew on the tarmac with chalk, leading many to call for the road to be permanently pedestrianised.
However, people travelling on delayed buses or stuck in jams created by diversions will welcome the news that the road is now open again.
Meanwhile, another set of roadworks by the Level at the junction of Elm Grove and Lewes Road is nearing the end of its second stage, with temporary traffic signals set to go by November 20.
Personally, I thought it was better without traffic.
I think Brighton should be thinking about banning all vehicles from the city center although electric buses would be ok I guess.
Firstly it’s a more pleasant place without motor vehicles and it lowers the level of toxins in the air if motor vehicles are banned.
More people should ride bicycles.
Now I know not everybody can ride a bicycle for some trips but there should be a move towards more people being able to cycle on the roads of our city, free of the motor vehicle.
If you think I am talking nonsense don’t move to Oxford where they are starting to do exactly what I am talking about.
Why would anyone of us move to Oxford? What about disabled people? Mothers with kids? What a ridiculous idea.
North Street is not a pleasant environment for people, for the motorised polluting vehicles dominates – buses, taxis, lorries.
As a father, cyclist, less able than I used to be, it was a pleasant experience to wander up and down North Street, in peace for a short while, while Southern Water’s work to modernise the Victorian sewers and re-surface the road gave us a little respite.
Perhaps it’s given Brighton & Hove Council, the local highway authority, a moment to think about the effect of congested traffic at one of our more notorious road-traffic places and implement some people and environment quality of life improvements. We can but hope.