Nothing is comfortable or safe in Eastbourne anymore

From: Shirley MacKinnonCoast Road, Pevensey Bay
Eastbourne town centre 15/6/20 SUS-200615-115726001Eastbourne town centre 15/6/20 SUS-200615-115726001
Eastbourne town centre 15/6/20 SUS-200615-115726001

You printed a letter from me last September on the subject of concerns over accessiblity for disabled people in Eastbourne.

Since then I have watched the debate about the town centre and the seafront and saw the letter from Brian Day in last week’s paper (Disabled Access Is Getting Harder click here to read– Herald letters July 31).

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I have also followed the plans for Terminus Road and have watched what people do in the town centre with regard to walking and cycle riding.

That includes those with clear disabilities, some which are less obvious or may be hidden, families with children of a variety of ages and older people.

Nothing is comfortable or safe for far too many people and this may mean an even greater loss of revenue for the town centre and its businesses. As an advocate of community living, the thought of even more internet shopping is very disappointing. Of course the added worries about the loss of hotels and revenue due to Covid-19 are major concerns for Eastbourne.

But most importantly, perhaps someone could explain why and how Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) could approve such inadequate East Sussex County Council (ESCC) designs? How did ESCC obtain obtained planning consent and regulatory approval for such plans and then get them endorsed by EBC? What involvement did this include with various local groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, which must be concerned about the future?

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It would seem that the messages about these many concerns are not getting through. I am therefore copying this letter to David Tutt, Leader of EBC (to whom I separately wrote in March 2019 about the “shared space” term ), to Caroline Ansell MP and to my own MP , Huw Merriman , Chair of the Select Committee for Transport, who has expressed sensible comments about related matters. Finally, I am copying this to Christina Ewbank, the CEO for Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce.