Brighton bus chaos: legal battle launched against council

The Western Road Redirection Action Group has claimed the bus diversion is "unlawful" amid health and safety fears for both residents and buildings.

As work is under way to revamp Western Road in Brighton, eastbound traffic, including buses, is being diverted via Upper North Street and Montpelier Road as part of a temporary traffic order until the improvements are completed.

A bus passes a no more buses sign outside Maxi's Corner Store (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

The group sent a letter warning Brighton and Hove City Council it intends to pursue a legal challenge.

Group member Gillian Durham, a resident in Upper North Street, said:"Upper North Street and Montpelier Terrace, Montpelier Road and Regent Hill are also both seriously affected, with all four streets being within the conservation area.

"The council has taken no notice of the lawful requirement to restrict heavy vehicles and has done exactly the opposite, resulting in air, noise, light and environmental pollution and dangerous traffic hazards to pedestrians, including the numbers of school children who use these roads daily.

“Since we became aware of the proposed diversion in November, we have made every effort to try to get the council to recognise the brutality of its plans on our safety, and on our health and wellbeing.

"We have reported details of collisions and other health and safety issues since the redirection began.

"My solicitor has written to the council, on my behalf, with a formal letter before action raising these legal concerns and asked them to agree to revoke the temporary traffic order and, if they fail to do so, giving the council notice that I will commence legal proceedings to quash the order."

There is a large pothole in Upper North Street (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Antique dealer Colin McKenzie, who also lives in Upper North Street, said: "It's a small, peaceful road and we've got a situation now where there are 600 or 700 buses a day going along the street.

"The fact of the matter is that it is really unsafe. The buses are belching out diesel. I've got young children and I worry about them.

"We have a Green MP here, Caroline Lucas. The pollution from these things, you know, particulates from lorries and buses in the centre of town is not good.

"And it's not just that. We live in a conservation area, these are all old buildings. They're mostly built out of bungaroosh.

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"Brighton has traditionally been very, very proud of its heritage and that's why things like this come as a surprise."

The road had a weight restriction of 7.5 tonnes, which has been temporarily removed to accomodate the increased bus traffic. Potholes are already beginning to appear.

Mr McKenzie said: "The thing that really gets me is that there was no consultation."

The signs are hung from windows, balconies and fences (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Residents have put up "save our streets" and "no more buses" signs in their windows to send a message to the council.

Mr Mckenzie added: "The action group handed them out on Thursday night. 

"There's a very strong community, and a good group working on ways we can raise awareness of the situation we're in.

"It's really effective. We hope to send quite a striking message with the signs.

• Read more: Parents' anger as school children accused of dodging bus fares

"People in Brighton need to know that if it's happened to us, then it'll happen to them. It's a feeling of powerlessness.

"I do think the Western Road improvements are long overdue, but there had to be another way of diverting traffic. Why can't they have a traffic light system, for example?

"There is such a big impact on businesses up here. If people aren't walking down that side of the road, they're not going to visit the corner shop to buy a pint of milk, or buy a paper."

Eastbound Brighton and Hove Buses and Coastliner services run along Upper North Street (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Richard Brown, 77, also lives on the road. He said: "It's an imposition that could've been avoided.

"I would like to see the buses returned to Western Road. The road is not fit for this many buses. 

"My neighbour with two young children has told them not to walk on the south side of the road, as cars mount the kerb to avoid the buses."

Richard Brown (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "We have received this letter and we are considering its contents. We are unable to comment further at this stage."