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6:00am Friday 25th July 2008
A controversial new road scheme aimed at reducing congestion has created huge tailbacks and more than doubled commuting time.
The three mile bus lane on the A259 South Coast Road between Ovingdean and Telscombe Cliffs was opened on Monday but has caused traffic chaos and left motorists fuming.
And East Sussex County Council bosses tonight apologised to commuters and promised to take action to ease congestion on the route.
The new bus lane has taken up part of the road and traffic lights have replaced a mini roundabout at the junction of Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, and South Coast Road.
The scheme was expect to cut rush hour bus journeys but Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company managing director Roger French said it has instead added 45 minutes to some journeys.
Mr French said traffic was grinding to a halt because of the traffic lights and has called for the return of the mini roundabout.
The changes were introduced as part of a £1.8 million Sustainable Corridor scheme which will eventually see a bus lane between Brighton and Hove and Newhaven.
Deller, Saltdean says...
10:54pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Bristol VR, Portslade says...
12:00am Fri 25 Jul 08
S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
5:46am Fri 25 Jul 08
whatithink, Brighton says...
7:26am Fri 25 Jul 08
JohnRebus, Saltdean says...
8:08am Fri 25 Jul 08
usher44, Saltdean says...
8:25am Fri 25 Jul 08
D R, Sussex says...
8:27am Fri 25 Jul 08
King from Hove, Hove says...
8:29am Fri 25 Jul 08
davyboy, abingdon, oxon says...
8:31am Fri 25 Jul 08
JohnRebus, Saltdean says...
8:39am Fri 25 Jul 08
davyboy wrote:you do live along the south coast? / do you travel bewteen Newhaven and Brighton each day? I bet is the answer is no (abingdon?). The issue here all about the SERIOUS CONGESTION created by the introduction of lights and bus lanes - if you read the article you will see even the boss of the bus company is asking for the lights to be removed.
you cant blame the bus company for the councils ineptitude. traffic lights cause chaos wherever they are put. there was an exercise in holland/belgium some years ago where they removed all traffic lights and traffic flowed much better and accidents were cut. this was all because everyone was more careful . no-one was trying to jump red lights, and everyone was more courteous, something drivers have forgotten in this country. strage how the bus company gets blamed for everything. instead of sitting in the jams which you have caused, get on the bus instead, and take some cars off the roads. 1 person per car is such a selfish way to travel.
sdcrane, Slough-Vegas on Sea says...
9:34am Fri 25 Jul 08
Jayne, Brighton says...
9:40am Fri 25 Jul 08
whatithink, Brighton says...
10:15am Fri 25 Jul 08
Loopyloo, Telscombe Cliffs says...
10:50am Fri 25 Jul 08
woundup, peacehaven says...
10:55am Fri 25 Jul 08
Mat, Saltdean says...
10:59am Fri 25 Jul 08
Mr. Kipling, Hove says...
11:27am Fri 25 Jul 08
Jayne wrote:So he lives in Ovingdean does he? Not what I`ve heard
Frenchie wanted this bus lane and he is now reaping the seeds he has sown, delays for his beloved buses.
I do hope on his slow drive home to Ovingdean in his gas guzzling Audi he sits in the jam and contemplates how his desire for this bus lane has made so many peoples lives a misery!
bug eye, hove says...
11:39am Fri 25 Jul 08
Gerro, saltdean says...
11:42am Fri 25 Jul 08
Ronald, Hailsham says...
12:04pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Flat Mat, Peacehaven says...
12:18pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Flat Mat, Peacehaven says...
1:10pm Fri 25 Jul 08
tiggajack, Pecehaven says...
1:41pm Fri 25 Jul 08
rhinofish, Hove says...
1:44pm Fri 25 Jul 08
martreed, Telscombe Cliffs says...
1:50pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Dr Seagull, Saltdean says...
2:12pm Fri 25 Jul 08
whatithink, Brighton says...
2:37pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Dr Seagull wrote:There have been unsigned speed cameras in place for at least 2 years travelling eastbound just as you enter the 30 mph limit approaching Rottingdean traffic lights. They are 'average' speed cameras.
I have been using this road for over 25 years and have never known such chaos.Does anyone know how this lane is policed? Why are there no signs if there are cameras in place. I am told that buses have cameras.....Has anyone seen one, or are they relying on council officials with mobile cameras to catch offenders?
Dr Seagull, Saltdean says...
2:41pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Jayne, Brighton says...
2:54pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Mr. Kipling wrote:According to Companies House he does.
Jayne wrote:Frenchie wanted this bus lane and he is now reaping the seeds he has sown, delays for his beloved buses.I do hope on his slow drive home to Ovingdean in his gas guzzling Audi he sits in the jam and contemplates how his desire for this bus lane has made so many peoples lives a misery!So he lives in Ovingdean does he? Not what I`ve heard
Flat Mat, Peacehaven says...
2:58pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Dr Seagull, Saltdean says...
3:03pm Fri 25 Jul 08
S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
3:19pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Mart, Rottingdean says...
3:29pm Fri 25 Jul 08
martreed, Telscombe Cliffs says...
3:32pm Fri 25 Jul 08
djc, saltdean says...
3:37pm Fri 25 Jul 08
gobsmacked, Saltdean says...
3:43pm Fri 25 Jul 08
feline1, Brighton says...
3:45pm Fri 25 Jul 08
k.ranger, Peacehaven says...
3:47pm Fri 25 Jul 08
feline1, Brighton says...
3:57pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Flat Mat, Peacehaven says...
4:06pm Fri 25 Jul 08
usher44, Saltdean says...
4:09pm Fri 25 Jul 08
marge, Peacehaven says...
4:11pm Fri 25 Jul 08
red, saltdean says...
4:48pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Bristol VR, Portslade says...
5:21pm Fri 25 Jul 08
garben, Peacehaven says...
6:07pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Old Ale Man, Woodingdean says...
6:08pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Old Ale Man, Woodingdean says...
6:08pm Fri 25 Jul 08
annabelgiles, Brighton says...
6:10pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Old Ale Man, Woodingdean says...
6:19pm Fri 25 Jul 08
SJB, Saltdean says...
6:36pm Fri 25 Jul 08
panda_electrical, Peacehaven says...
7:14pm Fri 25 Jul 08
davyboy, abingdon, oxon says...
7:15pm Fri 25 Jul 08
JohnRebus wrote:i agree with you entirely. the lights SHOULD be removed. also correct, i dont live there anymore, but i did for many years and understand the problems you all face. traffic lights, especially badly timed ones, cause chaos. what i was trying to say is that where they were taken away, traffic flow improved, along with the drivers manners. as you know, when a set of lights fails, traffic flow does improve. i agree with roger french that the lights sholud be removed, but EVERYONE could help by using their cars less
davyboy wrote:
you cant blame the bus company for the councils ineptitude. traffic lights cause chaos wherever they are put. there was an exercise in holland/belgium some years ago where they removed all traffic lights and traffic flowed much better and accidents were cut. this was all because everyone was more careful . no-one was trying to jump red lights, and everyone was more courteous, something drivers have forgotten in this country. strage how the bus company gets blamed for everything. instead of sitting in the jams which you have caused, get on the bus instead, and take some cars off the roads. 1 person per car is such a selfish way to travel.you do live along the south coast? / do you travel bewteen Newhaven and Brighton each day? I bet is the answer is no (abingdon?). The issue here all about the SERIOUS CONGESTION created by the introduction of lights and bus lanes - if you read the article you will see even the boss of the bus company is asking for the lights to be removed.
ospsalison, PEACEHAVEN says...
7:23pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Sussexsi, Peacehaven says...
8:44pm Fri 25 Jul 08
whatithink, Brighton says...
9:23pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Flat Mat wrote:No they don't. I have the speeding ticket to prove it. If you have speed camera recognition sensor ( which I do now) I assure you it's a speed camera.
WhatithinkThey are not speed cameras they are the number plate recognition system.They trace things like no tax, no insurance etc...
whatithink, Brighton says...
9:30pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Flat Mat wrote:No they don't - I have the speeding ticket to prove it. I'm sure a lot of people think that - and they are wrong - believe me!
WhatithinkThey are not speed cameras they are the number plate recognition system.They trace things like no tax, no insurance etc...
SM, crowborough says...
10:10pm Fri 25 Jul 08
unclesam, peacehaven says...
10:28pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Saffron, Rottingdean says...
10:32pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Jambo M, Rottingdean says...
3:27am Sat 26 Jul 08
whatithink, Brighton says...
8:08am Sat 26 Jul 08
Flat Mat wrote:Unfortunately I have to tell you that I have the speeding ticket that proves you are wrong! Since then I bought a device that alerts you to speed cameras, and sure enough, it bleeps when you approach that camera. So beware!
WhatithinkThey are not speed cameras they are the number plate recognition system.They trace things like no tax, no insurance etc...
titus, brighton says...
10:29am Sat 26 Jul 08
Mr. Kipling, Hove says...
10:30am Sat 26 Jul 08
Jayne wrote:Ah fair enough. He may have more than one house, as I know he has one in Hove too.
Mr. Kipling wrote:Jayne wrote:Frenchie wanted this bus lane and he is now reaping the seeds he has sown, delays for his beloved buses.I do hope on his slow drive home to Ovingdean in his gas guzzling Audi he sits in the jam and contemplates how his desire for this bus lane has made so many peoples lives a misery!So he lives in Ovingdean does he? Not what I`ve heardAccording to Companies House he does.
jays, brighton says...
10:59am Sat 26 Jul 08
Flat Mat, Peacehaven says...
11:18am Sat 26 Jul 08
Flat Mat, Peacehaven says...
11:27am Sat 26 Jul 08
municipalman, Hove says...
1:53pm Sat 26 Jul 08
municipalman, Hove says...
2:08pm Sat 26 Jul 08
whatithink, Brighton says...
3:10pm Sat 26 Jul 08
Flat Mat wrote:I used to use that stretch of road daily (luckily I don't have to now) and it was obvious from day 1 that this was going to be a disaster. I'm no traffic expert, but I didn't have to be. Why is it that so called experts can't see the bleeding obvious?
I forgot to say I saw a car approaching Rottingdean from Saldean this morning and where the car lane merges with the bus lane (100 yards back from the lights) a car driver saw the merge late and tried to drive in to the side of a taxi behind me. Beeping and swearing etc etc.... The whole thing IS A JOKE.
Towsey, Saltdean says...
5:49pm Sat 26 Jul 08
mikebtn, saltdean says...
9:26pm Sat 26 Jul 08
white vivaro, peacehaven says...
10:13pm Sat 26 Jul 08
Stephen Wickham, Saltdean says...
10:18am Sun 27 Jul 08
longdog, brighton says...
11:07am Sun 27 Jul 08
mrbester, Saltdean says...
4:31pm Sun 27 Jul 08
Hisoneupship, Brghton,East Sussex says...
7:53pm Sun 27 Jul 08
BrightonBean, Peacehaven says...
8:08pm Mon 28 Jul 08
Marshmallow, Peacehaven says...
12:05pm Tue 29 Jul 08
Chris28gi, Seaford says...
8:29pm Thu 31 Jul 08
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Bob_The_Ferret, Brighton says...
10:52pm Thu 24 Jul 08