Coronavirus: Cars to be banned from more Brighton streets

Brighton and Hove City Council has published two traffic orders prohibiting vehicles from parts of The Lanes and North Laine, freeing up space for cyclists and pedestrians.

The orders come into effect on Thursday and can last for up to 18 months.

But the city council said it will soon consider whether to keep the bans in force “indefinitely”.

One order bans vehicles from several roads in The Lanes including:

• Bartholomews
• Duke Street between Middle Street and Ship Street. This was spelled “Dukes Street” in the order
• East Street between Bartholomews and King's Road
• King’s Road between East Street and the A259
• Little East Street
• Middle Street north of Boyce’s Street
• Prince Albert Street
• And Ship Street

Black Lion Street will also be closed completely for vehicles between the Lanes Car Park entrance and the junction with Prince Albert Street.

The city council says these measures will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians in The Lanes and North Laine

But some streets will remain open for Blue Badge holders, loading vehicles, and drivers accessing their own property.

A one-way system for these drivers will begin at the junction of Boyce’s Street with Middle Street.

It will continue through Duke Street and Ship Street to Prince Albert Street. Then it will extend through Bartholomews to East Street and finally King’s Road, where it will feed into the A259. Cyclists will not have to adhere to the one-way system.

Driving will also be banned in Market Street and Brighton Place between 11am and 7pm each day except to vehicles accessing off-road parking.

And parking bays will be removed and reduced in some streets.

But bicycle parking will be increased in Bartholomews.

New disabled bays will also be placed in Ship Street and Bartholomews.

Meanwhile, loading bays for businesses will be removed in Ship Street and reduced in East Street.

The changes will create a one-way system for Blue Badge holders, loading vehicles, and drivers accessing property in The Lanes

New loading bays will be created in Black Lion Street and Bartholomews. The existing loading bay in Prince Albert Street will also be extended.

A separate traffic order for North Laine will extend the driving ban in Gardner Street and most of Sydney Street to between 10am and 7pm from Monday to Saturday. Car bans are already in place for these roads on weekends.

On Sundays and bank holidays the bans will be in force between 11am and 5pm.

Both orders could be in place for as long as 18 months. But the city council will consider whether to keep the bans for good.

Members of the public have six months to object to the plans.

A bold change for the better or a Trojan horse?

The coronavirus pandemic has caused many to rethink how we get from A to B safely.

With public transport high-risk, people are being urged to walk or cycle instead.

So Brighton and Hove City Council says its latest car bans will make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists in The Lanes and North Laine, as well as improving air quality.

Chris Todd of Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth agrees with the city council’s reasoning.  He said he would like to see the changes be made permanent.

Mr Todd hopes the changes will become permanent

“These places are a lot nicer without being overwhelmed by cars,” he said.

“If you go down to the Old Town any day of the week you will often see people in the road because the pavement is so tiny.

“Reducing the traffic through there will create a far nicer area.”

But Conservative transport spokesman Councillor Lee Wares accused the city council of using the pandemic as a “Trojan horse” to further its ambition to create a car-free city centre.

“The council needs to make streets safe for social distancing,” he said.

“However, the council could have achieved this using temporary traffic regulation orders that would have to be withdrawn once Covid legislation ended.

Conservative transport spokesman Councillor Lee Wares said the changes had not been introduced democratically

“Rather than the council having to prove such wide sweeping changes are what residents and businesses want, the public now has to object to the changes being permanent.

"What is proposed might be the best thing, but there is a democratic way of doing things."

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