A business and residents’ group is holding an open meeting this morning (Tuesday 15 January) as part of their battle against proposed road layout changes.
They are concerned that the aim stated by a council official of increasing congestion as a way of deterring drivers will increase pollution, cost jobs and damage the local economy.
The newly formed Valley Gardens Forum is inviting anyone affected by changes planned for the Old Steine area to the meeting at the Latest Music Bar in Manchester Street, Brighton, at 10.30am.
The forum is backed by almost every major employer in the area, including a number of trade associations, as their concerns grow about the changes proposed by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Today the forum will set out alternatives to replacing the Aquarium roundabout with traffic lights and will suggest keeping the entrance to Madeira Drive – by the Palace Pier – as a two-way route.
One supporter of the forum said that if the council goes ahead with moving the Brighton Centre to Black Rock, the need to keep an exit by the pier – not least for safety reasons – will become even more obvious.
The only current exit would be at Duke’s Mound where lorries face a challenging right turn at the foot of the hill and a potentially dangerous left turn at the top.
There are also concerns about the way traffic from North Street will be forced to turn left at a tight junction on the east side of the war memorial as the road on the west side is pedestrianised.
Even the position of the proposed cycle lane is under fire for keeping cyclists close at every stage to the traffic jams which appear to be being engineered into the project.
Councillors and council officers have been invited to the meeting this morning where a timeline for the scheme is expected to be set out and opportunities given for suggestions,
The aim of the meeting is to provide a constructive dialogue and help garner widespread support for the emerging detailed designs.
