Proposals to temporarily widen a cycle lane alongside the A23 are going before senior councillors tomorrow (Thursday 14 May).
A decision is due just days after Brighton and Hove City Council created a temporary cycle lane along a stretch of the A270 Old Shoreham Road, in Hove.
Officials have prepared a report for Labour council leader Nancy Platts, opposition Green leader Phélim Mac Cafferty and Conservative leader Steve Bell.
The report said that more space was needed for pedestrians to allow for social distancing, mainly in the city centre.
It said that the cycle lane between London Road and Preston Park is considered a pinchpoint in the national cycle network.
Southbound cyclists are supposed to cross over to the western side of Preston Road and continue along the pavement, rather than head down Beaconsfield Road, following the flow of traffic.
The report said: “The contraflow cycle route runs on the footway in conflict with trees and pedestrians due to the narrow width.
“Narrowing the northbound traffic lanes would enable cyclists to use the road, allowing sufficient space for two way cyclist movement with social distancing.”
Changes to the primary route into Brighton would cost about £23,000 and are currently under review.
But a proposal to set aside one or two lanes of the seafront A259 between the Aquarium Roundabout and just beyond the i360 will have to wait due to cost.
One suggestion in the report would be to close the south side of King’s Road to cars and create a contraflow cycle path – or the council could close a lane on each side of the main road for cyclists to use.
Either option would cost more than £58,000.
The report is to be considered by the council’s Policy and Resources Urgency Sub-Committee in the morning.
Other proposals going before the virtual meeting include closing Sydney Street and Gardner Street to traffic on weekdays, after consulting with businesses, to give more space to people on foot.
The report also proposes removing parking spaces in Boundary Road, Hove, St James’s Street, Brighton, and London Road, Brighton, to widen the pavements.
Some bus stops may close along Western Road, between Dyke Road and Montpelier Road, to make social distancing easier for people queuing to go into shops – and to give pedestrians more space.
A cycle lane is proposed along Marine Parade.
Another idea is to lengthen the bus lane between Roedean and Ovingdean. This would require an “experimental traffic order”.
The virtual meeting is due to start at 11.30am tomorrow (Thursday 14 May).
Fix the POTHOLES before spending more money!!!!
Carden Avenue is dangerous
The money spent on this should be used to build more affordable housing and council houses not bike roads
Are these virtual meetings webcast live on the Councils Website?
Yes they are
A reconsideration of the dual carriageway by the sea is long overdue. It will follow the Valley Gardens work.
Meanwhile the seafront, especially in Hove, is packed with cyclists totally ignoring the “No Cycling” notices, while the council and the police turn a blind eye. For pedestrians, trying to keep a distance from others, it is a nightmare, when they are also having to avoid the arrogant cyclists whizzing past them at fast speeds. Hove Park is also overrun with cyclists, causing pedesstrians to avoid the footpaths (“footpaths” notice) because of their preponderance. And more wide cycle lanes everywhere does not mean an end to those still choosing to ride on pavements. Brighton & Hove Council are ignoring the rights of pedestrians and have a lot to answer for.
Unfortunately this is a complete mess. With so many people working from home or unemployed we have an increased demand for outdoor space and that will only get worse if and when any tourist season starts. The outdoor space required for walking and cycling has also increased because of the need for social distancing.
But it’s unfortunate that this problem leads to a short term view – namely to take over a bit of the road and paint new lines to make it a cycle lane. For sure, that’s a cheap option. With the local economy in deep recession we still need to consider how traffic moves in and out of the city and how best to keep that flowing because visitors will soon become the lifeblood of this city once again.
With this virus never likely to go away, it’s also an uncomfortable fact that travelling by car is now way safer than getting on a bus.
New cycle lanes are always welcome, but not where they take up road space and then create new polluting traffic bottlenecks.
I am really hoping that the temporary lane will be made permanent, as this is not the easiest road to commute along. Allowing bikes more room at the lights at Neville Road certainly feels a lot safer. I am sadly unsurprised by some of the negative and often offensive comments about people who choose to ride bicycles. Some of the more coherent arguments against the cycle paths are that it they are unsafe, unhealthy and often unused. Firstly, have our roads become so unruly that we cannot cycle on them for fear of being killed? If that is the case, then surely the behaviour of motorists needs to be addressed rather than accepting the danger. Secondly, is it really sensible to suggest that one lane of idling traffic is more polluting than two lanes of cars traveling at 20-40 mph? The most pollution I encounter on my commute is when a car driver seems compelled to show how much horsepower their car has when they overtake. Surely the point of these lanes is that they encourage people to leave their cars at home, and join a growing number of responsible people choosing to address climate change and the overcrowded roads. Lastly, while the new lane along the Old Shoreham Road is very effective, often lanes are so narrow they force bike riders to ride over drain covers, potholes and detritus from motor vehicles – see the Old Shoreham Road by Buckingham Park. There are well-constructed shared-use paths in Brighton and Worthing; however, many cyclists choose not to use them as they do not want to travel among pedestrians and dogs at commuting speeds. As a ‘vehicle’ a bicycle has as much right to use the road as any motor vehicle, and someone riding a bike who pays any form of tax contributes to their upkeep in the same way as someone behind the wheel of a car. A well-designed cycle path on the road means that risks are reduced for all parties. Other European countries would consider bicycles and appropriate lanes as essential for transport, rather than a fad or a nuisance.
I just hope that you never need a tradesman, to sort out a leaking pipe or an electrician to sort out an issue. We need to get around the city and park. If it is going to take twice as long to get from one side of Brighton to the other, and then find no where to park. Either prices will go up or certain areas will be black listed. Your choice!!