Our Conservative team on Brighton and Hove City Council has long been strong campaigners for the restoration of the historic Madeira Drive arches.
Today we propose a three-part plan to make a Madeira Drive upgrade project the city’s flagship post-covid recovery project.
It would drive economic growth, boost tourism and rebuild city pride as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
Our positive plan for Madeira Drive and the City has three parts.
A one-lane, one-way Madeira Drive – Implement the Conservative compromise proposal, put forwarded by Conservative Transport Spokesperson Lee Wares and backed by the traders, to reopen Madeira Drive’s north side as a one-way road while converting the south side into a cycle lane.
Invest £11 million in restoring the arches – Get restoration under way by immediately starting on the £11 million budget measure for the arches that was brokered by the Conservative lead for finance Joe Miller at the February budget council meeting.
Support for the Save the Arches petition – Boost the funds available for an upgrade by considering residents’ Save the Arches petition, which calls for parking revenue collected in Madeira Drive to be used for an upgrade of Madeira Drive.
Since being closed to traffic during the lockdown, Madeira Drive has become the epicentre of a fierce debate in Brighton and Hove, with two rival petitions due to be debated at a full council meeting next week.
The Conservatives’ compromise proposal for a one-lane road would have something for everyone, put our city first and unite residents behind a common project.
Combined with major investment and parking reform, we could make an upgrade the symbol of this city’s recovery from the covid-19 pandemic, something that we could all be proud of.
Labour is caught in indecision about the future of Madeira Drive, under pressure from its Labour campaign group that wants it to remain closed.
The Conservative proposal to revitalise Madeira Drive would unite the city, boost our economy, tourism industry and jobs, restore our city’s heritage and give us all something to be proud of.
Councillor Steve Bell is the leader of the Conservative group on Brighton and Hove City Council.
Yet again the latest rushed thinking schemes are ignoring the needs of disabled people. I have no alternative but to use a car, but the emphasis has been to discriminate against disabled people and favour cyclists yet again. More and more disabled spaces are being removed, noticed even more disappearing along London Road.
If just one cycle lane was removed there would be an outcry, but our councillors and MPs never speak up for the disabled.. . It’s the only segment of society that Caroline Lucas is silent about!
Even the council and police allow people to abuse disabled bays, who think they can use then as personal parking spaces. Just one example – There’s a green Skoda SUV constantly parking in the disabled bay outside the Seven Dials pharmacy, a local business who thinks that single disabled bay is for their own selfish use for free parking all day I’m sick of reporting it when nothing is being done (they just move it temporarily if a warden appears)
Nice that someone actually has a plan for Madeira Drive instead of close it and let it slowly decline.
Potentially good news but BHCC need to COMMIT to a start date for Madeira Terraces restoration. We have been too long without access to our beloved terraces and all the pedestrian and commercial space locked up inside them.
Paul is right. BHCC needs to commit to the disabled and adhere to their own equality, diversity and inclusivity policies on all decisions they make for the city.
As for making the city ‘car-free’ that would need to be a city-wide referendum issue. Not something brought in by stealth or in a piecemeal fashion and without considering all the citizens who would be affected and putting in alternative arrangements for them.
The Labour Party say they want to make the City Carbon neutral by 2030 and yet still want to go ahead with Traffic lights at the Aquarium instead of changing the present ’roundabout’ into something like it was in the 60s.
As for Madeira Drive with renovated terraces and units underneath it would create it own income stream with rent from the many shops and businesses that I am sure would want to take up space if it was open to all not just ledestrians and cyclists.
Surely if the Councils Finance Department can convince The Government Loans Board into being able to borrow nearly £40m then why not for The Madeira Terraces?
Rejuvenation of the area with the terraces properly maintained, there would more space to create more sales sections. Just look how Worthing has rejuvenated the east end of its beach area. More shops, more traders, more revenue for the council. The parking will generate income , the shops will too. The current traders will be able hopefully to recover from the lockdown. Be greener if you wish, offer discount parking for electric vehicles that may help, but above all, re open to traffic, even if it’s one way but with parking. Listen to the masses. Brighton will loose so much if the road is not re opened but will gain so much if it does. Even a green project has to earn its keep which if you re open the road as parking it will.
good report and the comments are better: the disgraceful fake “pavements-widening for COVID reasons” exposes the corruption of both labour and green parties
Council plans is for one way single lane. Disabled have access to Madeira Drive show your blue badge. Restoration of the Terraces starts next year search Madeira Terraces on B&H website for information. Loan like the i360 is on the cards for Madeira Terraces . Just search on B&H website