Safety improvements to Hove's controversial Cycle Freeway will reduce car parking space, and are a victory for cycling

Cllr Alex Phillips w protest petition 19 Feb

18 August 2011. Safety improvements to the "cycle freeway" on Grand Avenue/The Drive have been given the go-ahead by Brighton & Hove City Council. The decision is victory for cycling, as it is a result of protests earlier this year when the then Conservative-led council proposed scrapping the cycle freeway (which is designated official cycle route no 82). The proposal was defeated after local and national protest. In the 5th May Local Elections the Conservatives lost power to the Greens, who had been at the forefront of moves to protect the cycle route.

Today, a council spokesperson said: "The proposed work will widen the gaps at some of the driveways and crossovers along the route to improve visibility and safety not only for cyclists but for all road users. Although the measures will involve a small loss of parking space, six extra parking spaces have recently been created in Grand Avenue/Church Road and another outside the Courtlands Hotel in Hove."

The council is publishing a traffic order this week on the reduction of parking space for members of the public to make representations.

Councillor Ian Davey, cabinet member for transport and the public realm, said: "The cycle lane is a safe and popular route down to the seafront, but there have been concerns about visibility along some parts of it. We promised to do something about that and are now bringing forward a programme of minor works.

"Residents strongly support cycle lanes and we are committed to improving routes such as completing links to the north of the city and developing routes to the east and west."

In March, councilor Davey presented a petition to council with over 3,500 signatures from residents asking to retain the Grand Avenue/The Drive cycle lane. Councillors resolved to keep the route and install any improvements.

Old Shoreham Road Cycle Lane Scheme consultation begins

The news of improvements to The Drive came a day after council commenced consultations on its plans to revive the Old Shoreham Road Cycle Lane Scheme. At a special meeting on 17 August, Cllr Ian Davey agreed to begin consultation on proposals to improve cycling on the Old Shoreham Road. The previous Conservative administration shelved plans for a major cycle lane on this route after nearly £100,000 had been spent developing the proposals.

The improvements will be part funded by a successful bid to national transport charity Sustrans for £330,000 under their ‘Links to School’ initiative.

Councillor for Goldsmid ward Alex Phillips commented: "The campaign to create more cycle lanes, increase the number of pedestrian crossings and improve road safety in Goldsmid has been one that I have been involved in together with the local community for many years. The development of this east-west route in the City will encourage more people to cycle to school or work, and will make those who are already regular cyclists on our roads feel much safer."

Councillor Ian Davey said: “The proposal includes a segregated cycle lane from BHASVIC to The Drive, as well as pedestrian improvements to the junctions with The Drive. Thanks to successful high-profile public campaigns, such as the recent 'save The Drive cycle lane', we have begun to restore the city’s reputation as city of excellence for sustainable transport, and we look forward to attracting more funding for this purpose."

Revival for 'crucial cycle lane' as Old Shoreham Road Cycle Lane Scheme receives £330k funding from Sustrans

OSR planning story starts Nov 2009

3 August 2011. Brighton and Hove City Council announced today that it will revive the "crucial cycle lane" once planned for the Old Shoreham Road (OSR) - and scrapped by the previous Conservative council administration.

This is a special moment for cycle campaigners, and for the author of this blog, since the changes in spec, safety worries, and eventual scrapping of the 'OSR' scheme sparked interest in the campaign for sustainable transport in Brighton and Hove in 2009.

A council spokesperson said today: "A safe cycle route could now be built along part of one of Brighton & Hove's busiest roads. The city council has won £330,000 from the sustainable transport charity Sustrans to help develop a 1.5 km route along the Old Shoreham Road from the BHASVIC junction on Dyke Road to The Drive. Sustrans' 'Links to Schools' cash would be added to £125,000 of council funds to complete most of the work by March 2012.

"Lanes on either side of the road will have low kerbs to physically separate motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. No parking spaces will be lost under the plan. Two busy junctions on the route will also get safety improvements for pedestrians and cycles. Councillors believe the new lanes would fill a vital missing link in the local cycle network, particularly from the seafront in Hove to the Seven Dials area.

"Previous surveys of residents along the road, which carries up to 27,000 vehicles a day, have shown 66 per cent favour a dedicated cycle route."

Cabinet councillor for Transport and Public Realm Ian Davey said: "This shows the council meeting manifesto commitments to improve cycling facilities. Where we build cycle lanes we want them to be excellent, user-friendly and safe lanes which link to existing routes and facilities and really improve everyone's experience of moving around the city by bike.

"This is a crucial east-west route across the city but traffic speed and volume can make it an uncomfortable place for cyclists and pedestrians. The proposed scheme will make Old Shoreham Road safer for everyone including young people using the many nearby schools.

"When the Grand Avenue cycle lane was threatened last year there was a huge petition asking for the council to extend, rather than reduce, cycle facilities. This is our positive response."

A new consultation will now be undertaken before any work starts, subject to official cabinet member approval on August 17.

The council spokesperson added: 'The scheme is being reprieved by the new administration after councillors shelved the idea last year."

Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with the systematic destruction - by the Conservative administration - of plans to transform Brighton and Hove into a cycling city, or more accurately, into a sustainable transport city. These plans were the basis of the Cycle Town grants made to the city from 2005 by Cycling England. The Old Shoreham Road (OSR) Cycle Lane was the backbone of the scheme, providing a safe cycling link between the town centres of Brighton, Hove and Portslade. In 2009, the city planners under Conservative leadership removed segregated cycle lanes from the OSR plans and then found the scheme to be unsafe - and cancelled it. After that they cancelled the Marine Parade cycle lane scheme, and finally tried to rip up the one part of the scheme already installed - The Drive. Public protests, a big media campaign, and a huge swing at the May local elections saw the Tories lose half their seats, and the Greens gain power in the council.


Stuart Croucher, a member of the team who designed the original scheme, made an impassioned plea for the reinstatement of the scheme, and a powerful argument in favour of a network of segregated cycle lanes for young people and learners, in an interview he gave to this blog last year.

The original plans - and the 'crucial' part played by OSR cycle lane - are all shown in another entry on this blog.

Fascinating video of cycle freeway in operation, Utrecht

A fascinating video of a busy junction in Utrecht, the Netherlands, where 33% of journeys are made by bicycle. Note the frequent public transport shown in the background, very rapid connections cross city. Cars are not banned here: people simply choose to travel by tram or cycle. Its easier, quicker, cleaner and safer. A commitment to an integrated sustainable transport system is needed.

(Posted to further the argument in favour of cycle freeways and an integrated sustainable transport plan in Brighton and Hove, and specifically to promote the development of a network of cycle freeways and in support of the Save Hove Cycle Lanes campaign).