Local authority executive members have given the green light to establish a restricted traffic corridor along one of Brighton’s primary retail destinations, despite ongoing concerns from business owners who have cautioned about potential court action.
The designation will prevent motorists from halting their vehicles along Western Road in the section spanning from Montpelier Road in Brighton through to Holland Road in Hove.
Implementation is scheduled for the beginning of November, following a comprehensive 45-day shutdown of the identical road segment to enable extensive rehabilitation works rather than simple surface replacement.
Council leader Bella Sankey, from the Labour administration, emphasised that the infrastructure improvements were necessary to avoid the possibility of urgent street closures, given the deteriorated condition of Western Road.
The proposal has generated significant debate.
A formal petition gathering more than 4,000 signatures was submitted to the authority, while the Western Road Community Group continues to evaluate whether to pursue litigation challenging the ruling through the courts.
Prior to the gathering, Labour member Trevor Muten, responsible for transportation and city infrastructure within the cabinet, stated that the restoration works represented a valuable investment in Western Road while the restricted corridor would address persistent issues surrounding vehicles blocking traffic flow, creating bottlenecks and causing delays.
The initiative would serve local inhabitants, commercial enterprises, public transport users and other travellers equally.
To prevent any impression of bias, Councillor Muten removed himself from the proceedings entirely and departed from the chamber at Hove Town Hall during the afternoon session.
The cabinet of Brighton and Hove City Council endorsed the proposed temporary traffic regulation order.
Deputy leader Jacob Taylor, also Labour, sought clarification regarding the effectiveness of the current single and double yellow line restrictions covering most of the affected section.
Officials reported that enforcement personnel conducted 705 inspections of Western Road between April and August of the current year, discovering vehicles parked unlawfully on 2,315 instances, though those drivers departed within five minutes of an attendant’s arrival.
Taylor commented that the determination needed to be made based on the balance of evidence presented in the official documentation.
He added that the fundamental principle should be achieving efficient city management, smooth traffic movement and reliable bus services, with appropriate solutions developed for each specific location.
Labour representative Emma Daniel expressed frustration at those who contravened parking regulations by leaving vehicles on yellow lines and noted that the restricted corridor proposal had become one of the most frequently raised topics among her correspondence.
She observed that the obstruction of lowered kerbs by drivers displayed a troubling disregard for others and represented an ongoing problem.
Fellow Labour member Alan Robins drew attention to mobility-impaired individuals who depend on bus services.
He recounted an incident involving a large goods vehicle unloading outside a convenience store near the junction with York Road, which prevented a bus from drawing close to the kerb to allow a wheelchair user to alight.
The vehicle had to proceed further along the road to find a suitable location.
He stressed the importance of recognising that the situation affected multiple groups.
He noted that parking on yellow lines was currently prohibited, yet business operators were contacting members stating they could not function without contravening the law.
The cabinet heard that existing parking restrictions did not prevent legitimate loading activities or the picking up and setting down of passengers.
Designated loading spaces and bays for disabled drivers are to be positioned at regular intervals throughout the restricted corridor.
The Western Road Community Group served formal notice to the council regarding possible legal proceedings concerning the decision.
Following the gathering, group participant Catherine Lane, who provides care for her elderly disabled parent, expressed disappointment with the cabinet’s determination.
She noted that the decision placed older residents, disabled individuals and carers on one side of the argument, and those identified in the council’s own equality assessments as being most adversely affected.
On the other side stood bus improvements whose headline statistics were not even included in the cabinet documentation.
She stated that the cabinet had opted to proceed and prioritise bus services.
Ms Lane referenced a statement in a council press release issued before the meeting, indicating that bus journey times had increased by 16.7 percent compared to 2015 levels.
Alastair Gourlay, owner and managing director of Real Patisserie, who had presented the council with a petition bearing 3,800 signatures opposing the restricted corridor two months prior, shared the community’s disappointment.
He expressed frustration that the cabinet had disregarded the information provided to them and characterised the decision as incorrect, suggesting the assertion that previous implementations on London Road and Lewes Road had produced no economic consequences was inaccurate.
Once the temporary order takes effect, drivers contravening the restrictions would receive an initial warning during the first fortnight.
Subsequently, the council would issue a penalty charge of £70, reduced to £35 if settled within two weeks.
During the initial six months, traffic patterns are to be recorded through camera systems, with loading bays and disabled parking facilities also under surveillance, to evaluate outcomes and implement any required modifications.
The temporary traffic order cannot be prolonged beyond eighteen months, after which a permanent regulation would necessitate a fresh decision.
Adjustments to the temporary order may only be implemented during the first twelve months of its operation.