Eastbourne seafront parking bays may be removed

The plan is part of a raft of measures to enable more cycling and walking and provide safe space for social distancing as Covid-19 restrictions continue to ease.

The government has allocated East Sussex County Council just under £500,000 from an Emergency Active Travel Fund and among the schemes is one to remove pay to park spaces from Fisherman’s Green to the Wish Tower so a segregated cycleway can be installed.

A council spokesperson said, “We are currently looking at options for this route, one being the temporary suspension of some parking. We await government approval for the measures and will provide further updates as soon as we can.”

“We have already seen a significant increase in the number of people walking and cycling in the county and, if approved, the schemes that are put forward will make a real difference to those people choosing active ways to travel and exercise.”

The news is sure to please cycle campaign groups and pedestrians who have voiced their concern about sharing the promenade with cyclists.

Other measures submitted for approval from the Department of Transport include closing Terminus Road between Trinity Trees and Grand Parade and the closure of Bolton Road to Langney Road.

Eastbourne council leader David Tutt has welcomed the news and said, “Since the lockdown in March many more residents have chosen to walk or cycle rather than use the car or public transport. A variety of bids were made for walking and cycling initiatives in Eastbourne and some of those will now be implemented. In the most part these changes are temporary, but if they work well they can be made permanent and if they don’t, they won’t be.”

The initiatives also include cycle racks and the widening of pedestrian areas in town centre roads.