Vision for cycling improvements across Lewes and Wealden towns

East Sussex County Council’s is consulting the public on its first local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP).

The draft document splits the county up into six areas: Eastbourne and South Downs (including Hailsham and Polegate), Hastings and Bexhill, Newhaven area (including Peacehaven and Seaford), Lewes and South Downs, rural Rother and north Wealden & north Lewes (including Uckfield, Heathfield and Crowborough).

Proposed cycle network maps have been produced for each of the areas as well as walking network maps for Newhaven, Lewes, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Bexhill and Hastings.

Alongside this is a programme of cycling and walking infrastructure improvements.

These do not contain detailed proposals, but indicate potential alignments of routes or measures, with an emphasis on demonstrating how they can connect with places people may travel for everyday journeys.

The LCWIP ‘sets out an ambitious network of additional cycling and walking routes and measures integrated with existing cycling and walking infrastructure’.

It adds: “This is set alongside the wider transport network, with the aim to maximise the potential to support new housing and employment space coming forward. This first version of the LCWIP will be focussed on those areas where there are the greatest opportunities to increase levels of cycling and walking.”

The plan says: “It is important that the preferred routes within this area are sympathetic to the historic nature of Lewes and take into consideration the impact of infrastructure within a national park setting. With the highest levels of cycling for work and leisure within this area of the county, the routes are focussed on supporting more strategic links to the existing National Cycle Network, together with links to nearby settlements and supporting access to local facilities.”

Routes in the Lewes network include: L1 A27 and Lewes Town Centre, L2 Ringmer – Southease, L3 South Downs Way – Lewes, L4 Montacute Road - Town Centre, L5 South Downs - Spital Road, L6 South Downs – Station, L7 Ditchling – Cooksbridge, L8 A27 – Swanbourough, L9 Lewes – Southease, L10 Nevill - Southover Cooksbridge - Lewes Riverside, L11 Offham - Town Centre, L12 Cooksbridge - Lewes Riverside and L13 Malling - Southover.

The plan adds: “In the Newhaven area the preferred network is focussed on having several key routes connecting the three towns to support the strategic connections on the A259 corridor in the longer term. This is alongside having more localised networks in each town to support access to schools, shops and local facilities.”

The proposed network routes are: N1 Telscombe Link, N2 South Coast Road (A259) Peacehaven, N3 Coastal Path, N4 Arundel Road NCN2, N5 Firle Road, N6 Saltdean – Peacehaven - Southease, N7 Peacehaven – Newhaven via The Highway, N8 Newhaven East/West Corridor, N9 Gibbon Road – Court Farm Road to the Newhaven Swing Bridge, N10 Seaford East/West Corridor, N11 Seaford Northern Loop, N12 Alfriston Road – Southdowns, N13 The Station – A259 via Sutton Avenue, N14 Marine – Exceat Bridge via Seaford Seafront, N15 Peacehaven Loop, N16 Piddinghoe Avenue, N17 Egrets Way, N18 A259 to Denton, N19 Railway Road, N20 Seaford Northern Loop, N21 Town Centre – Belgrave Road via Avondale Road and Blatchington Hill, N22 A259 – Alfriston Road via Walmer Road, N23 Town Centre – Seafront via Dane Road and The Causeway and N24 Southdown Road and N25 Arundel Road.

Meanwhile in South Wealden: “With South Wealden being the only area of the county where significant growth in housing can come forward, the preferred routes will support existing local journeys to local services as well as connecting to future development.

Hailsham’s proposed cycling network includes: H1 Diplocks Way (A22) — Phoenix Academy, H2 Hempstead Lane, H3 Cuckmere Close — Battle Road, H4 Diplocks Way / A22 — Hempstead Lane, H5 Polegate – Hellingly, H6 High Street — Hellingly, H7 London Road — Battle Road — Hawkswood Road, H8 South Road — Mill Road, H9 A22 — Vicarage Lane, H10 Summerheath Road — High Street, H11 Vicarage Road — Hamlins Park Close, H12 Gleneagles Drive — London Road, H13 Battle Road — White House School, H14 Hawks Road — Harebeating Lane, H15 Lower Dicker — Park Gate Road, H16 Hellingly — Park Gate , H17 Arlington Road East — Upper Horsebridge Road, H18 Ersham Road — South Road, H19 Hempstead Lane - Upper Horsebridge Road, H20 South Road Car Park — Upper Horsebridge Road, H21 New Road - The Drive, H22 Mill Lane - Marshfoot Lane and H23 White House School - Harebeating Lane.

For Uckfield, Crowborough and Heathfield: “With further housing growth likely to be a considerable focus for these areas, the emphasis of the preferred routes is on supporting access to existing localised services. The preferred routes will also form the basis for further work to be undertaken by ESCC, Wealden District Council and developers in the near future, to develop a more comprehensive network which supports future growth in housing and employment.”

Uckfield proposed routes are: U1 Mallard Drive, U2 Framfield Road, U3 Belfarm Road to Bell Lane, U4 Bellfarm Road Greenway, U5 Belmont Road - Manor Way, U6 Batchelor Way - Rocks Park, U7 Church Street, U8 Hempstead Lane, U9 Lime Tree Avenue, U10 Southview Drive/ Downsview Crescent, U11 Browns Lane, U12 B2102 Ringles Cross – Framfield Road, U13 New Town - Ridgewood and U14 New Town to Railway Station (via Victoria Pleasure Ground).

In Crowborough the proposed routes are: C1/C3/C7 B21 from the A27 - junction Green Lane and the Croft Road/Church Road Triangle, C2 Jarvis Brook – St Johns via Medway and Millbrook Road, C4 North/South link via Queens Road and Poundfield, C5 Jarvis Brook – Mount Pleasant – via Tubwell Lane, C6 Jarvis Brook - Rotherfield and C8 Area based improvements – residential areas.

In Heathfield the proposed routes are: HE1 NCN Route 21, HE2 Cuckoo Trail Extension, HE3 A265 Snatchells Farm – Broad Oak, HE4 Battle Road West, HE5 Battle Road East, HE6 Halley Road, HE7 A256 – Sandy Cross Lane, HE8 Leeves Common, HE9 Sheepsetting Lane – Sandy Cross Lane, HE10 Cuckoo Drive – Green Lane and HE11 Thorny Close Link.

The delivery of the plan will rely on the county council and its partners securing external funding and buildings on £23million already secured since 2014 to deliver active travel measures through the local transport capital programme.

Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, said: “Walking and cycling not only improves people’s health and wellbeing, it can help protect the environment and improve air quality.

“Some people have been able to re-think how they travel since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic with cycling and walking becoming more of an option. We are keen to put in place infrastructure to support the opportunity to change habits and enable others to find more active and healthy ways to travel.”

In line with guidance from the Department for Transport, the county’s first plan will focus on areas where there is the greatest opportunity to increase levels of cycling and walking and therefore, to attract external funding – this includes the coastal strip and larger market towns in the county.

In rural areas, the council will look at how walking and cycling can be supported through its local transport plan, as well as local and neighbourhood plans. Officers will continue to work with local partners to identify opportunities and funding for active travel.

Cllr Dowling added: “It’s vital that people take this opportunity to comment and help us create a plan that supports active travel and understands the needs of local communities.”

The consultation runs until Friday December 11 and all responses will be carefully considered before a final version of the plan is agreed.

To find out more about the plan and to take part in the consultation, visit https://consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk/economy-transport-environment/escc-lcwip-2020/