Measures to minimise disruption during Uckfield improvement works

Parents of children returning to school in Uckfield after the half-term holidays are being asked to allow extra time for their journeys as work on stage two of the town centre highway improvement scheme begins on Monday (February 22).
Artist's impressions showing the revised plans for Uckfield High Street - Jun 2015 SUS-150616-110646001Artist's impressions showing the revised plans for Uckfield High Street - Jun 2015 SUS-150616-110646001
Artist's impressions showing the revised plans for Uckfield High Street - Jun 2015 SUS-150616-110646001

A one-way route will be in place southbound in High Street and northbound traffic will be diverted via Bell Lane and the A22 bypass while the work is ongoing.

A replacement shuttle bus, free weekend parking and special offers for bus passengers are being offered to help people as the next stage of a town centre improvement scheme gets underway.

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The measures, which begin on Sunday (February 21), have been announced by the Uckfield Town Centre Highway Improvement Scheme project board, made up of representatives of East Sussex County Council, Wealden District Council and Uckfield Town Council.

To help bus passengers affected by the introduction of a one-way route southbound in High Street during the eight-month scheme, a shuttle bus will operate northbound from Uckfield bus station via a diversion to the northern point of the roadworks.

Residents in Manor Park and Church Coombe will also be able to use the shuttle bus to get to and from Uckfield town centre, with a flat fare of £1. Holders of bus tickets, cards and passes will be carried for free.

People who work in Uckfield are being offered a free four-week bus saver ticket on Brighton & Hove buses, followed by a special offer of a flat-fare zone stretching from Uckfield to Lewes and Crowborough.

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Meanwhile, Network Rail is offering residents and visitors free parking at weekends in the 172-space car park at Uckfield Railway Station.

Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained throughout the works.

Cllr Claire Dowling, chairman of the project board, said: “We’ve been working very closely with Network Rail and the bus companies to provide services which will help people living and working in Uckfield during these works.

“It’s important that we do everything we can to minimise disruption, and to get the message out there that Uckfield is open for business throughout this scheme.”

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Details of changes to bus routes during the work have also been announced, with northbound routes operating from the bus station via Bell Lane and the bypass, rejoining their normal routes at Coopers Green or Maresfield.

Passengers who normally use northbound stops between High Street and the Ringles Cross area will need to use southbound buses or the shuttle bus to travel to the bus station to change buses.

The traffic management arrangements begin at noon on Sunday, February 21, with the work on the scheme to begin the following day. Parents taking their children to and from school after the half term holiday in the area are urged to allow extra time for their journey.

The scheme, which includes pavement widening, new street furniture, upgraded traffic lights, 23 short-term parking spaces and one disabled bay and planting to help mitigate surface water flooding.

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Full details of stage two of the scheme, including changes to bus routes, is available online at www.eastsussex.gov.uk/uckfield.

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