Shopper-friendly new look for Devonshire Road

Work on improving the town centre's main shopping street is due to start in August, East Sussex County Council said this week.

Features will also include:

Pinch-points making it easier to cross the road at the two zebra crossings

High-level kerbs at bus stops to allow low-floor buses to pull in close to allow passengers with mobility problems and shopping trolleys to board safely

Extended kerbs to make it easier to cross Devonshire Road at its junction with Marina

New lighting columns in reproduction Edwardian style to match the architecture of the conservation area

The work is the latest stage in a programme to improve the town centre.

Julian Thomas, team leader, transport strategy for the county council's transport and environment department, said: "The Devonshire Square pedestrian scheme is almost complete, so work on Devonshire Road will start with the aims of making it safer and easier for pedestrians to get to the shopping areas and to encourage more people to shop in the town.

"The pavements will be widened and have a smooth light red surface to help reduce trip hazards. There will be extra trees and new lamp columns to the same pattern as those recently installed in the Square. Bus stops will be rebuilt to make full use of the new low floor buses.

"The pavement reconstruction is planned around the installation of the lights. This means that work on site will start in August with completion expected by the end of October. These dates have also been planned in conjunction with local business representatives to enable the street to be back to normal before the start of Christmas shopping.

"The works are part of a partnership project between the County Council, with Rother District Council, the Bexhill Regeneration Partnership Ltd and the Town Centre Tourism and Action Group."

He said the plan had received strong public support at consultation stage. He emphasised: "The taxi bays shown on the plan are the existing ones and once work on the ground is nearing completion we will resolve the final size and location of taxi. Blue Badge and cycle bays by consultation with the residents and businesses in Devonshire Road."

Rother leader Cllr Graham Gubby said: "The whole street scene will more pedestrian friendly yet not exclude the car user.

"As promised, we continue to retain the best of our heritage by replacing the modern lamp posts with replicas of those in place at the turn of the century.

"Not only will we have the long overdue smooth pavements which will reduce trips and falls, the 'pinch points' will make it safer to cross and the additional trees will add natural character. It will be better for our residents out shopping, more encouraging to visitors and overall a 'pleasant place to be'."

Estate agent Rodney Gadsden, who chairs the Regeneration Partnership's town centre and tourism action group, says: "I think it will be a definite improvement. There will be some tree-planting but, more importantly, it will tidy up the pavements at last.

"Only yesterday I saw someone trip right outside my office. It was only a youngster as well - not an old person.

"The pavements are dangerous as they are. It will be a good thing to have them made safer because this whole thing is about regenerating business activity.

"I don't think this will be another Devonshire Square - there is still a lot of criticism about that, unfortunately.

"It is not trying to create a whole new look. It is more maintenance and improvement."