More Loading Bays For Brighton's London Road Ahead Of Proposed 'Red Route'

More loading bays are coming to London Road, Brighton, before a proposed “red route” in the area goes live there and in Lewes Road.

Councillors said that there were too few loading bays and disabled parking bays along the A23 between Cheapside and South Street, Brighton, as they agreed to experimental red routes in London Road and Lewes Road.

Red routes were first introduced in London to keep traffic flowing to reduce the pollution from stop-start journeys by making it illegal to stop, even for loading and unloading.

At the Transport and Sustainability Committee meeting yesterday (Tuesday, December 5), Labour councillor Mohammed Asaduzzaman said that London Road traders had shared their concerns about the lack of loading bays.

Traders contacted Councillor Asaduzzaman, who represents Hollingdean and Fiveways, because he has a business at the Open Market and in Ditchling Road.

He said:

“London Road has a lot of business people who have concerns about loading bays. Many people have deliveries to their premises. What is the solution to the shortfall of loading bays?”

Parking projects team manager Peter Turner said that he had spoken with traders during a consultation in August and September and last spoke with them about loading issues last month.

An experimental traffic order is due to live in April but, before then, extra loading bays will be introduced outside Poundland and Richer Sounds on the corner of York Hill.

Council officials have arranged further meetings with businesses in February – and in May when the red routes are operational.

From April, a six-month consultation will allow residents and traders to give feedback on how the red routes work.

Green councillor Steve Davis said that West Hill and North Laine councillors Sue Shanks and Ellen McLeay had listened to traders’ concerns at London Road Local Action Team meetings.

Councillor Davis was concerned about the effect on disabled parking bays along both roads and said:

“It is another 19th century street trying to deal with 21st century traffic problems.

“There’s obviously going to be a concern about disabled parking spots along that road. Have we made gains in disabled parking spots or have there been losses?”

Mr Turner said that all the disabled parking would be retained and blue badge holders would be able to pick up and drop off but not park on the red lines.

Conservative councillor Carol Theobald said that she was concerned that a petition against the London Road route signed by 357 people was being ignored.

Councillor Theobald said:

“It is rather harsh to have the red routes. We’re not London. I think it will affect the businesses. There are a lot of people here who are very much against it."

Committee chair Labour councillor Trevor Muten said that everyone would have a chance to feed back during the process. He believed that the project would improve the area’s traffic flow and air quality.

Head of parking services Charles Field told councillors that feedback from the consultation would return to the committee within a year for consideration.