Here’s where four new Eastbourne cycle routes are due to be approved

On Monday (February 21), Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for Transport and Environment, is set to sign off on proposals to build four new cycle routes in the town. 

They include plans for a cycle route running north from the railway station up to Ringwood Road. It would complete the existing Horsey Cycle Way, which links the town centre to Langney Rise roundabout.

Another route would run south from the railway station to the seafront, via the Devonshire Quarter. 

A third route would link Kingfisher Drive and Willingdon Drove, via Sevenoaks Road.

The final route would run along the western side of Langney Rise, between the Langney Shopping Centre and the Langney Roundabout (where it would link up with the rest of the Horsey Way cycle route). 

An additional short section of this route runs along the eastern side of Langney Road from the Langney roundabout up to Priory Road in order to pick up cyclists from Langney Primary School and St Catherine’s College.

If given the go ahead by Cllr Dowling, the routes would be developed into detailed designs and then built out.

The works would be funded from the £4.6m Local Growth Fund set aside for walking and cycling improvements in the Eastbourne and South Wealden area. Of this £2.231m is currently available.

The proposed routes had recently been put out to public consultation, the results of which Cllr Dowling is also set to discuss. 

This consultation showed there was broad support for each of the proposals among those consulted, although concerns were also raised by some.

A fifth route — running between Stone Cross and Royal Parade — was also supported during the consultation, but will not brought forward at this time as it would cost more than is currently available.

However, officers say the council will be seeking funding from elsewhere to bring forward that route at a later date.  

Several alternative routes were also proposed during the consultation process, but officers say none of these alternatives would be either viable or preferable.

This is because they would also result in the removal of existing parking, provide increasingly indirect routes and/or have insufficient width to accommodate cycle lanes.