Controversial bus gates installed in Valley Gardens are set to be made permanent.
Brighton and Hove City Council installed the bus gates along Valley Gardens in 2020 with two experimental traffic orders to limit Marlborough Place, St George’s Place, York Place and St Peter’s Place to buses, taxies and bicycles only.
In the first month, from 9 September until 13 October 2020, the council sent out 4,972 warning notices to drivers caught on camera as they passed through the gate in York Place, on the western carriageway at the junction with Trafalgar Street.
Councillors on the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee are asked to make the project permanent when they meet on Tuesday, 16 November.
A report going before the committee says the order was open for comment for at least six months, with a total of nine comments both for and against the schemes.
Examples of comments objecting to the experimental traffic order criticise the signs and accuse the council of being “money hungry”.
One objection said: “Used complete ambiguous language which isn’t Highway Code legal at all. Signage placed so by the time you are aware or informed you have already been fined! Not acceptable at all.
“Completely unclear and unnecessary it’s just an attempt to create a carless city!
“All these attempts to make the city inaccessible to residents and more so disabled people dam right breaks equality rights for disabled people.”
Another said: “It will be impossible NOT to drive on this section of road for many people.
“You are just money hungry at a time when this country is on its knees financially. Free up the roads more.
“Bring people into Brighton and Hove, not fines for them going in the badly signed posted (Well, there’s no signs).”
Comments listed in the papers as “support” ask about enforcement, how bins are collected, and bus lanes.
The report said: “The majority of the objections appear to be relating to the level of signage for users and not against enforcement to protect the public transport corridor.
“Other objections relate to access of North Laine or displacement of congestion.
“Officers will continue to monitor the traffic movements within Valley Gardens as part of the post scheme implementation.”
In the report, the junctions are described as “simplified” with new signals.
It said: “The scheme allows private vehicles limited access to the public transport corridor.
“Better pedestrian and cycle links are proposed on both highway and greenspace areas.”
Councillors are also asked to back various other traffic orders, including moving the taxi ranks in Gloucester Place and St Peter’s Place to York Place.
The Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee meets at Hove Town Hall from 4pm on Tuesday 16 November.
The meeting is scheduled for webcast on the council website.
The bus gates are just one element for making the city better for everybody. They’ve have been in place a long time, clearly signed. Crucially, they make bus services more efficient so that public transport becomes a more attractive option. When people switch away from private vehicles, it leaves the roads clearer for Blue Badge holders, tradesmen and emergency vehicles, reduces pollution and increases safety. It’s a virtuous circle.
Although of course Blue Badge Holders and tradesmen/ women cannot access the bus gate and get fined. Secondly one has to question that the company that redesigned Valley Gardens layout is the same company that monitors and issues the bus gate fine. So you would have to ask is this really about a better city or revenue raising?
In answer to your question, Blue Badge holders, tradespeople, emergency vehicle and delivery drivers will have much easier journeys when there is less traffic. And everybody will have cleaner air and less noise pollution.
It wasn’t a question only a statement of fact blue badge holders and trades people CANNOT use the bus gate thus sending them on protracted journeys . I presume you can back up your ‘less traffic’ with some statistical evidence? And once again I question any scheme that was designed by the very firm that then profit from it – that is also a statement of fact.
Strange…bus drivers say its a complete crock . . .
Could this be revenge by the money-grabbing-by-any-means Greens for losing out on the Old Shoreham Road dispute?
We could ask Phelim ‘The Flyer’ Maccafferty before he summons his honour and resigns from the council.