New bid to beat traffic

LEWES people are to be given the opportunity to help shape a scheme to rid the town of unnecessary traffic and provide pedestrian-friendly zones in areas such as the Cliffe.

The five-pronged attack on congestion and pollution is to be exhibited over four days in what is claimed to be one of the most wide ranging and comprehensive consultation exercises ever seen in the UK.

The five key items, which are not necessarily dependent on each other, are:

l Controlled parking: charging for on-street parking and introducing residential parking permits.

l Traffic flows in School Hill and Eastgate Street to be reversed (not a preferred option) or a roundabout built at the Safeway exit to the Phoenix Causeway so that traffic is given the option to turn right and not be, as at present, forced back into Lewes.

l The Eastgate roundabout would remove any remaining need or incentive for traffic to enter Cliffe High Street unless it really needs to. That street could be calmed by widening the pavements, reducing parking, providing unloading bays and reversing traffic flow at the bottom of the street to allow cars to get into Morris Road from Malling Street.

l Improving the bus service. This could take the form of bus priority on Brighton Road and the approach to Earwig Corner, park-and-ride east of Ringmer into Lewes, and new routes.

l Improving cycling facilities between Lewes and Ringmer. There could be a new segregated cycleway to the south of the existing road.

The exhibition, which coincides with an In Town Without My Car initiative, will include presentations from independent resident, business and environment groups, as well as workshops with the design consultants.

Visitors will be able to contribute their own planning ideas.

East Sussex County Council is encouraging the widest possible public and business comment on the schemes at the Corn Exchange between September 16 and 19 and again in Harvey's Yard on September 21.

Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Cllr Tony Reid, said: 'The Council is committed to dealing with the transport problems of Lewes but there is no firm commitment to implement any of the specific proposals before hearing what local people think.

'We need as much community input as possible before the council decides whether it should go ahead.'