Guide to road closures and changes to train services on Lewes Bonfire Night: Sussex Police issue travel warning

The big annual event takes place on Tuesday, November 5, this year and police said the measures should help the event run ‘as safely and smoothly as possible’.

A Sussex Police spokesperson said: “Lewes Bonfire night presents a unique challenge to the multi-agency group tasked with ensuring public safety. Tens of thousands of people are expected in the town, prompting concerns about over-crowding particularly in busy areas such as the War Memorial. There will be road closures in place from 4.45pm, and trains will not be stopping at local stations after 5pm.”

Police said diversions will allow traffic to travel outside of the town, and they advised Lewes residents to get vehicles home before 4.45pm. Police also advised visitors not to bring vehicles into the town.

According to Sussex Police, the road closures will include: A27 junction with A277 Brighton Road (Ashcombe Roundabout), A275 junction with Offham Road, C7 Kingston Road junction with C324 Wellgreen Lane, A26 junction with A2029 Malling Street, and A26 Malling Hill Junction with Church Lane.

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Police said on-street parking will be suspended on certain streets from 12pm and said vehicles not removed from these routes may be towed. People who have a parking permit and need assistance on alternative parking locations can contact the East Sussex County Council parking team on 01273 335500 or [email protected] (Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm). Visit www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/lewesbonfire for a full list of road closures and parking restrictions.

Lewes, Falmer, Cooksbridge, Glynde and Southease railway stations will be closed from 5pm on November 5 until the first trains in the morning on November 6. A Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) spokesperson confirmed this, saying that trains will not stop at these stations during this period.

A police spokesperson said: “The last train passing through will call at all the stations due to be closed to assist customers getting home; this is new for this year to aid more people getting home.”

A GTR spokesperson added: “November 5 is a working day – a Tuesday – and the last train home for commuters will be as early as 15.54 (arrives at 16.56) from Victoria to Lewes.” GTR added that they do not want commuters to be ‘caught out’ when coming home.

People are encouraged to attend fireworks events closer to home and not to attend Lewes Bonfire. Visit: www.esfrs.org/local to see all the firework events across East Sussex.

The police spokesperson added: “It is recognised there will be an impact on train passengers and road users who are not planning to attend the event. The decision to bring in travel restrictions has been made in the best interests of safety.”