‘Give two lanes of seafront road to cyclists’, says Green councillor

Former mayor Pete West, Brighton’s first Green councillor, called for the ‘safe’ cycle lanes at an election hustings.

Councillor West questioned why four lanes were needed along the seafront at the transport-themed hustings at the Brighthelm Centre.

He said: “You’ve got a four-lane dual carriageway that is the preserve of motor vehicles because no one apart from the foolhardy like me is actually prepared to cycle along the road.

“So they’ve got it all to themselves whereas the cyclists and pedestrians are crammed together, milling on the prom.”

He said: “I think we need to dig up the A259 between the Aquarium and at least West Street and perhaps beyond.”

There were too many cyclists and pedestrians, he said, for some sections of the upper promenade which are currently shared by both groups.

Councillor West was responding to a question about the poor state of the National Cycle Network along the seafront.

He was speaking at the hustings organised by Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth, Bricycles, SCATE (South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment) and Brighton Bike Hub.

He said: “I think there can be hardly anyone who uses a bike in Brighton and hires that hasn’t had a terrible experience on that stretch.

“And that goes for all the pedestrians, particularly, visitors are totally uninducted in what to expect as they wander around the cycle lane.”

When all candidates were asked by a cyclist to give a yes or no answer to whether they would commit to reducing the four lanes on the seafront to allow more dedicated space for bikes, it was a resounding yes from the Green.

He was immediately followed with a ‘no’ from Conservative group deputy leader Councillor Lee Wares.

Liberal Democrat candidate Christian Chadwick, who is a regular cyclist, was also in favour.

Labour group leader Councillor Daniel Yates managed to get away without answering yes or no.

He said: “It’s a piece of architecture just like anything else? If it becomes redundant, fine with me.”

The audience gasped for a controversial moment when Councillor Yates declared he ‘did not care’ about the planned removal of the Aquarium roundabout.

The roundabout is due to become a traffic light controlled T-junction as part of Valley Gardens phase 3 – the revamp of the Old Steine and the area in front of the Palace Pier.

He said: “The decision has been taken to take away a roundabout. I genuinely don’t care.