Lewes Bonfire 2019: Officials urge Sussex residents to "stay local" ahead of event

"Don't try travelling to Lewes for Bonfire." That's the message from a group of public services and local authorities, as Sussex's largest commemoration of the Gunpowder Plot, combined with other memorials, approaches tomorrow (Tuesday, 5). A multi-agency group assessing safety has, for a third consecutive year, imposed broad measures to prevent public and private transport arriving in Lewes, or leaving from the town, starting in the late afternoon and lasting until the early hours — or, in the case of trains, the next morning. [caption id="attachment_13284959" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Lewes Bonfire: the front of Lewes Borough Bonfire Society's procession[/caption] But the restrictions, which have been widely publicised and imposed after a consultation with two local authorities, continue to be controversial among many residents who have stated it interferes with their working days, leaving them unable to return home at the end of normal hours. The Restrictions Railway All rail travel to and from Lewes will effectively cease from 5pm onwards. No trains will call at Lewes, or nearby stations Glynde and Southease, from 5pm (services to other destinations will pass straight through). Cooksbridge, north-west of Lewes, will have no trains after the train from London Victoria that arrives at 5.20pm. Falmer, west of Lewes, and used by the two local universities, will close after the 6.40pm train leaves for Hastings. No trains will serve any of the five stations named until the first scheduled trains on Wednesday morning (November, 6). Roads Lewes will be cut-off by road from 4.45pm, with roadblocks at the following locations, and without exceptions for people living locally. A27 junction with A277 Brighton Road (the Ashcombe Roundabout, west of Lewes). A27 junction with A26 (Southerham Roundabout, south-east of Lewes and south of the Cuilfail Tunnel). A26 junction with the B2191 Ringmer Road (north-east of Lewes, called Earwig Corner). C7 Kingston Road junction with Wellgreen Lane (south-west of Lewes, a back-road to Newhaven). A275 Offham Road junction with B2116 Plumpton Road (north of Lewes on the way to Chailey). A27 Junction with Southerham Lane (an entrance to the Cliffe Industrial Estate). Buses Starting at 4.45pm, the Brighton & Hove Buses serving Lewes (28, 29 and 29X) will not go through Lewes, but will call at the western outskirts of the town, at the north end of the Culfail Tunnel, near the Hardwoods Land Rover garage. No other stops in Lewes will take place, including on the A277 between the Prison crossroads and the Ashcombe Roundabout. According to Lewes District Council, roads will re-open at 2am or once Sussex Police believe it is safe to do so and the cleaning of the town is complete by waste crews. Much on-street parking will be withdrawn during the day on November 5th, but a helpline is open to advise parking-permit holders where they can keep their vehicles on the night: 01273 335500. The district council has issued this map illustrating the parking restrictions: click on each coloured route to read its rules. Public Safety Emergency services and local authorities agree that Lewes's six bonfire societies have a policy of managing the safety and order of their own extensive and noisy street processions, commemorations and subsequent firework displays. They also manage their own final "bonfire prayers" after the aerial displays—gatherings, around midnight, of society members around small fires lit in the streets. But they do not undertake to manage any onlookers who choose to watch the societies' processions. Emergency services' estimates suggest these crowds have totalled up to 60,000 people. A multi-agency group commissioned a crowd safety review in 2016 from Gentian Events, after industrial action by RMT union members working for the town's railway provider, Southern Rail, led to the railway station's closure on Bonfire night. It was the first rail shut-down, in addition to the road closures which were long-established. As an extra measure, the A26 north-south route, which passes east of Lewes town centre, was also closed for the first time for Bonfire in 2016, as a precaution against terror attacks. The review found that the number of injuries for 2016 had almost halved, to 92, compared to the previous Bonfire night on the same day of the week (Saturday), when 170 occurred. The report's authors also found the number of attendees had, roughly, halved. As a result of observations made in 2016, the review concluded: "Overall, I consider that, left unchanged, there is a very high likelihood of an accident occurring that could result in serious injury or death to one or more people in this event." Having observed the effect of the railway station's closure, new rail restrictions were then introduced, after consultation with Town and District Councillors: first from mid-day (2017), then at the compromise time of 5pm from 2018 onwards. Members of the Tactical Coordination Group called the choice "difficult and pragmatic". Bonfire Six of Lewes's seven Bonfire societies form the heart of lengthy, noisy and highly decorative processions that wind their way through the town for several hours from nightfall. Other Bonfire society members from villages and towns throughout Sussex also process in Lewes's event. All are accompanied by marching bands and other musical ensembles, many participants wear historical costumes, and many hundreds of those who process carry flaming torches or controlled fireworks. History Lewes's Bonfire societies not only take the figure of Guy Fawkes to be blown-up in their final aerial displays. They also secretly create elaborate tableaux of people or events the members wish to commemorate or criticise, often in a satirical way. At the outset of each procession, these are unveiled, and often create worldwide controversy in the hours before they explode. Recent artworks have included politicians, media stars, and a memorial for astronaut Neil Armstrong. But, from before the time of the Gunpowder Plot, Lewes also remembers seventeen Protestant martyrs, who were burned at the stake in the town between 1555 and 1557 for publicly professing their faith, which opposed the ruling Catholic Queen Mary I. Bonfire members are keen to point out that the "Pope" they lampoon and burn in their displays is Paul V, who died in 1621. They insist there is no anti-Catholic feeling to the processions, or in the town.