Parts of Western Road will be closed to traffic in phases for about 45 days this autumn to allow the carriageway to be rebuilt – and a red route installed.
The stretch of road from Holland Road in Hove and Montpelier Road in Brighton – Palmeira Square to Waitrose – was due to be resurfaced, but an assessment this month highlighted structural issues which require sections will need to be rebuilt.
Work will begin on Monday, 28 September.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “Residents have been asking us to sort out Western Road for a long time. We are listening and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
“This is such a busy route. Alongside cars and lorries, around 700 buses pass along the corridor every day taking thousands of bus passengers between Hove and the city centre.
“The road surface is not good enough. This major investment will repair the road surface, tackle potholes and other longstanding defects to create safer, smoother and more reliable journeys for everyone who uses it.
“While work on this scale will cause disruption, it’s essential to ensure the road is fit for the future.
“We don’t want to leave this any longer. It has to be done before the temperature drops.
“We are working closely with local residents, businesses and bus operators to minimise disruption and work through how to best keep the road accessible.”
Throughout the project, pedestrian access will be maintained wherever it is safe and practical to do so.
Detailed plans are still being developed by Brighton & Hove City Council, but further information on traffic management, bus diversions, deliveries and access arrangements will be shared with residents and businesses before work starts.
Alongside this improvement work, if plans are approved by the council’s Cabinet in September, a Red Route will be marked on to the newly resurfaced road between Holland Road and Montpelier Road.
A red route will change the current parking restrictions from double yellow lines to double red lines, which can then be more effectively enforced using CCTV cameras, reducing the number of illegally parked vehicles, making it safer for pedestrians and shoppers.
At the same time, 10 new loading bays will be installed along the Red Route area, introducing 140 metres of loading space for shops and traders that isn’t currently available.
The council will also be introducing more disabled bays on both Western Road and its side streets, helping to support people with disabilities and Blue Badge holders.
The Cabinet report follows public consultation held last year which received more than a thousand responses from local residents and businesses. Feedback showed more people would welcome the Red Route as it would improve safety, bus times and keep traffic moving.
If approved, the red route will be installed under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) meaning we’ll also be able to make rapid adjustments in the first 12 months if there’s a need.
Councillor Muten added: “We’ve been listening to concerns from residents and businesses about the safety of Western Road.
“It has a long history of anti-social parking which is dangerous and causes congestion and it is important that decisions about the Red Route now go to Cabinet for discussion.
“Red Route schemes in London Road and Lewes Road have shown how they can make our streets safer and cleaner while maintaining footfall so these communities can continue to thrive.
“We also know that, if introduced, this will be a big change, so we’ll continue to listen and monitor the road carefully during the first year and make improvements where needed.”
Cllr Muten doing the bidding of his masters at Bricycles….again