A Labour councillor has taken the first step towards pedestrianising a shopping street in the heart of Brighton, calling for a community event in the spring to explore the idea.
The event would include a temporary closure of St James’s Street, in Kemp Town, to test pedestrianisation as part of a plan to “revitalise one of Brighton’s most vibrant neighbourhoods”.
Councillor Gary Wilkinson, who represents Kemptown ward, also called for a feasibility study, “with meaningful community engagement” into longer-term options for pedestrianising St James’s Street and St George’s Road.
Councillor Wilkinson said: “This study should consider disabled access, public transport, deliveries and the impact on neighbouring streets and set out a clear timetable for bringing options back.”
At a Brighton and Hove City Council meeting on Thursday (1 October), his fellow Labour councillor Trevor Muten, the council’s cabinet member for transport and city infrastructure, welcomed the ideas.
Councillor Muten told the meeting of the full council at Hove Town Hall: “A community event would be an exciting first step towards making these high streets safer and more accessible and better places to shop, meet and spend time.
“And we do need to look very carefully at how its done, evaluate the options very carefully – and the timing and access as well.
“I will ask officers to compare pedestrianisation and pedestrian-priority options for St James’s Street including times of those – maybe weekend or seasonal – and how this could best work and where it may impact.
“And we need to address some of the concerns that might arise from that as well. But I think there’s work to be done and I welcome your proposal.”
Councillor Wilkinson said: “Residents and businesses have spoken to me for some time about safety in St James’s Street, in Kemp Town, (about) anti-social behaviour and the difficulty of getting along its narrow busy pavements.
“Walking in St James’s Street myself, I share their frustrations and concerns. People should feel comfortable shopping locally, meeting friends and enjoying their neighbourhood.
“By listening carefully and assessing the options, we can establish what would work for our community.
“Our high streets are at the heart of Kemp Town. Residents, traders and venues should have a real say in how they develop. This is an important initiative to bring our community together.”
Fellow Labour councillor Theresa Mackey said: “We have long heard from our constituents that they don’t feel safe on the street any more and we need to look at every avenue to change that.
“A spring street event could begin a wider conversation about the street’s future. It is time pedestrianisation and pedestrian-priority options were properly explored.
“And as a council we will ensure that accessibility, public transport, deliveries and the effects on businesses and neighbouring streets will be considered.”
Councillor Muten added: “I welcome this initiative brought forward by local ward councillors. I absolutely support an engagement in consultation to explore how an event like this could improve the local community.
“It is vital any assessment of options involves as many members of the community as possible and carefully considers the impacts on bus services and passengers, accessibility, deliveries and access to local businesses and community services.”
The councillors encouraged members of the public to submit their thoughts.
Yea so all that traffic build up from the valley vanity project by the pier can have even more traffic!! Prepping it for ulez zones( you lez) never mind rerouteing the bus traffic up Edward Street with all the emergency services that use it to get to emergencies
Not (you lez zone’s)
The clarification makes little difference to your ill-considered vanity project allegations. Thanks for coming along though Phil.
‘vibrant shopping street’?
St Janes St is the junkie super-highway
Makes sense so all the crack heads can dance in the street.
As if traffic calming and pedestrianisation will curb anti social and outright thieving in St James Street is beyond a joke
Cogent arguments there Ty although a full stop or a little nap before posting may have helped.
Trevor, get out and repair your failing cycle infrastructure, forget all the new stuff. Get it remarked, some rumble strips and new signage. Pedestrians are getting a bum deal from you.
Don’t worry, cllr Muten will be gone by next May.
He wanted to leave a legacy – he certainly has done that.
Unfortunately, it’s a complete crock of sh1te
Brighton town centre would benefit from being pedestrianised as much as possible. Motorists will moan whatever is proposed so who cares what they think, they’re only thinking about their own interests. It’s been proven again and again that removing traffic is a huge benefit and will make it even more appealing. More money for the local economy, more money to improve facilities, a better a quality of life. Start from Brighton station and have a car free walk all the way to the sea.
Instead of wasting money on a dump like that they should spend the money cleaning up the lanes, ship street and prince Albert street are horrible and should look like new road
How would you like to fund your suggestion?
So all the people who shop in St James’ Street will now have to disembark in Edward Street, cross the road, and cut through to get to the shops? Great idea (not)!
Why can’t you disembark on Old Steine and be at St James St?
Brighton is just part of the UK’s moral decline.
St James’ Street won’t stay vibrant if it’s pedestrianised. It will become an even filthier drug-dealing no-go area and the thefts from Morrisons will be off the scale. This pedestrianisation madness must stop. Look at what happened in New Road. They have just had to removed the solid wood designer benches and chuck them in the skip owing to anti-social behaviour. No one lingers around the theatre after dark.