Campaign Group Shocked As Council Announces Brighton's Old Steine Road Revamp Will Move Ahead

A campaign group has criticised the council’s decision to push ahead with a £13 million revamp of the Old Steine road layout in Brighton.

The decision was made days before members of the Valley Gardens Forum were due to meet a leading councillor on Saturday (January 13) to discuss concerns about the design.

Their concerns include the proposed scrapping of the Aquarium roundabout, replacing it with a T junction and traffic lights, as part of “Valley Gardens Phase 3”.

But on Tuesday, January 9, Labour-run Brighton and Hove City Council said that it had reviewed the scheme, made some adjustments and would now move forward with it.

The Valley Gardens Forum had been due to meet Labour councillor Trevor Muten at the weekend so members were shocked to learn of the council’s decision to push ahead with the scheme.

They were also disappointed that little would change after the eight-month review despite having held many meetings with councillors and officials over the past few years.

They believe that the proposed removal of the roundabout would result in increased congestion, as forecast in a report by experts from consultants Mott MacDonald, and so increase air pollution.

The Aquarium roundabout is at the southern end of the A23 where it meets the A259 coast road and is used by thousands of vehicles a week.

But council visualisations of the new junction show it as almost traffic-free in contrast with the extra congestion forecast by Mott MacDonald.

Other issues include “cutting off” the eastern side of central Brighton as well as changes to parking and loading bays.

Valley Gardens Phase 3 is the final part of a road layout revamp from St Peter’s Church to the seafront, aimed at creating a “linear park”.

Work was due to start on Phase 3 last summer after a final public consultation was completed early last year and the final scheme was approved by councillors last March.

The first and second phase cost about £11 million. Work was completed in 2020 after two years, with most traffic now confined to the eastern side of the area and buses travelling on the western side.

Bus gates were introduced as part of the scheme. They have proved notorious, with tens of thousands of drivers missing the signs and receiving fines, generating millions of pounds of revenue for the council.

The final phase of the project – from Edward Street to the seafront – has attracted £6 million of funding from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Councillor Muten, who chairs the council’s Transport and Sustainability Committee, said:

“I am delighted that we’re now at a stage where we can press ahead with delivering this fantastic project for the city.

“It was right that we asked for a review last summer to ensure that we were going to give residents, businesses and visitors the best possible scheme which delivered on its objectives and worked for everyone.

“Phase 3 will offer a wonderful open green space in the Old Steine and extend the public park that was delivered through Phases 1 and 2.

“The transport improvements will make it much safer for pedestrians and cyclists while ensuring flow of buses and road traffic through this busy part of our city.

“We are confident that delivering Valley Gardens Phase 3 will complete the centrepiece of our amazing city that residents and visitors alike will be very proud of.”

The Valley Gardens Forum said:

“More than anything, this will define (council leader) Bella Sankey’s Labour administration.

“In the same way, the i360 is rightly or wrongly credited to former Green leader Jason Kitcat.

“Councillor Mutten’s comments make clear his proud ownership of Valley Gardens Phase 3.

“For everyone’s sake in the city, we’ve got to hope the evidence was wrong – and the eye-watering cost and two-year disruption of Valley Gardens Phase 3 will be worth it.”

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PRESS RELEASE from Brighton & Hove City Council on January 9, 2024.

Work on the final phase of the Valley Gardens project will move forward, following a detailed review of the plans.

The decision comes after meetings between councillors and council officers to review the design, study the transport modelling and feedback received from key stakeholders.

As a result, some positive adjustments to the scheme have been made, including creating more space for buses to that they can move in and out of bus stops, while enabling other vehicles to keep moving.

Councillors have now asked officers to proceed with the procurement of a principal contractor.  

Subject to this process being successful, work will begin and is expected to take around 18 months to complete.

The plans for phase 3, which covers the area from the Old Steine to the seafront, include:

• Improved access for public transport, supporting more reliable journey times
• An additional taxi rank near the Palace Pier junction as well as retaining two existing ranks
• New obstruction-free (where possible) pavement design 
• New trees and landscaping
• Sustainable outdoor event infrastructure
• New separated cycle lanes, linking phases 1 & 2 of Valley Gardens to the seafront
• Improved lighting around Old Steine Gardens (supported by a successful Safer Streets Funding bid)
• Increase in parking bays for Blue Badge holders
• A new junction to replace the existing Palace Pier roundabout, including direct crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists and enhanced signalling to ensure the flow of traffic including buses.
• Enhanced bus stop design for safety of waiting passengers and effective passenger pick up. 
• Improved setting around the War Memorial