Coronavirus: Calls for Madeira Drive to partially reopen

The Madeira Drive Traders’ Association has joined forces with Conservative councillors to come up with a compromise they say will please everybody.

Traders say they face “financial ruin” if the Brighton seafront road remains closed to cars.

The association said it was “disappointed” with Brighton and Hove City Council in previous negotiations.

Some businesses say they have been unable to pay rent because they have lost trade from daytrippers who cannot park in the road’s 363 spaces.

The vehicle ban currently in place was brought in temporarily on April 20 to allow residents to exercise on the road during coronavirus lockdown.

Competing petitions are calling on the council to reopen the road completely or keep it closed for good.

Madeira Drive has been closed to the public since April 20. Photo: Simon Dack/Alamy

But traders and Conservatives say a balance can be struck if the road is half-opened for one-way traffic.

The new system would create a one-way system on the road’s north side from the Aquarium Roundabout to Duke’s Mound.

This would enable as many 290 parking spaces to be reopened and draw visitors to the seafront.

The south side of the road would then be converted into a two-way cycle lane so pedestrians and bikes are separated.

Trevor Archard, who owns the Seagull Cafe in Madeira Drive, said the compromise would be a lifeline for seafront businesses.

“People can’t really get to Madeira Drive, there’s no public transport if you don’t want to cycle,” he said.

“We’re losing out on people coming for the day and parking on the seaside. On the less busy days it’s just me running things by myself and I’m still sitting around doing nothing.

Trevor Archard of the Seagull Cafe feared some traders may go bankrupt if Madeira Drive does not reopen to vehicles in some form

“We need a compromise, we can’t just let traders go bankrupt and vacate their businesses.”

Meanwhile Yellowave Beach Sports director Katie Mintram fears she will have to close her business for longer in the winter months to make up for lost income in the summer.

“Normally we only shut for two weeks over Christmas,” she said.

“But if the road remains fully closed we will have a much longer winter closure period.

“The traders recognise it would be wonderful if people could jump on their bike or stroll down to use the businesses. However, Madeira Drive is situated behind a cliff.

“It’s very idealistic to assume everyone can get to us by walking or cycling. Getting down 84 steep steps or walking or cycling just isn’t possible for everyone. If we thought everyone could still access us and the businesses would thrive, we’d be delighted and wouldn’t be fighting to reopen the road.”

Ms Mintram said she would support the closure of Madeira Drive to cars if public transport was improved in the area.

“A bus route, opening the lift, lighting and regeneration is what is needed,” she said. “Once all this is in place, then close off the traffic.”

Yellowave Beach Sports also has concerns about keeping Madeira Drive closed to cars

Brighton Marina centre manager Kirsty Pollard also supports the traders’ calls for compromise.

She feared keeping Madeira Drive closed in busy summer months will put pressure on parking in other areas of the city and increase traffic on the A259.

“From our position we absolutely support improving walkways and cycleways,” Ms Pollard said. “But 300 parking spaces have been taken away and haven’t been moved elsewhere. When you close something down you have to recognise the effect it has. It doesn’t feel like the council has taken this into account.

“Are we going to shut down the city and risk losing tourism to other areas?

“I think we can make cycle lane improvements but not to the detriment of business.”

If Brighton and Hove City Council agrees to the compromise deal, the Conservatives say the proposed new arrangement should continue until the pandemic is over.

Conservative transport spokesman Councillor Lee Wares said the compromise deal would benefit traders, cyclists, and pedestrians

They say Madeira Drive should then be fully reopened to cars so the city can have a “proper, well-informed debate” on the road’s future.

Party transport spokesman Councillor Lee Wares claimed the city council’s “dogmatic” stance is creating tension in the city.

“The issue has become that great that traders are now withholding paying their rent to the council,” he claimed. “The dogmatic stance of the Labour council is creating unnecessary and unpleasant tension.”

City council transport chief Councillor Anne Pissaridou said Madeira Drive will be discussed by full council on July 23. She said: “We appreciate many residents and traders have strong views both for and against reopening. We will take all these views into account. We’re also running an online survey to get the views of residents and local businesses on some of the temporary changes we’ve been making to our transport network.”

Petitions, protests, and angry Mods

THE closure of Madeira Drive to cars has been a controversial topic in the past few months.

The vehicle ban came into effect on April 20 in a bid to free up space for Brighton residents to exercise during the coronavirus lockdown.

But Brighton and Hove City Council has not lifted the ban, despite lockdown restrictions being loosened, leading to heated debate on the road’s future.

Two rival petitions have been set up, arguing for and against the road’s closure.

More than 9,300 people have signed the petition calling for Madeira Drive to be immediately reopened to vehicles “to save the businesses operating there”.

A smaller petition demanding the car ban remain in place for the rest of the year to provide space for exercise has been signed by more than 2,800 people.

Brighton and Hove City Council transport chief Councillor Anne Pissaridou

Both petitions will be debated in a July 23 full council meeting when the city council’s Labour administration looks likely to set out its stall on Madeira Drive’s future.

But it has previously hinted what road it may take on the issue.

In June, city council transport chief Councillor Anne Pissaridou said “short-term measures” such as the closure of Madeira Drive will be considered in long-term plans for Brighton’s transport.

Later that month culture chief Councillor Carmen Appich refused to give “unequivocal support” for Madeira Drive motoring events, prompting criticism from Conservative councillors.

More than 30 traders met city council representatives in June asking them to reopen the road as soon as possible.

But Madeira Drive remained closed throughout the month.

Angry mods then held a protest against the closure on July 4, demanding it be reopened so they could continue their scooter gatherings.

As the months of debate show, there is a lot of division in the city over Madeira Drive’s future.

But the new compromise proposals could be a step forward in breaking the deadlock.

• At The Argus, we are championing the work of traders during the coronavirus pandemic as part of our #BackingSussexBusiness campaign. We are always interested to hear how the community is coming together in this crisis. If you know of a local business battling to do all it can in these tough times and/or offering support to the local community, please get in touch at laurie.churchman@theargus.co.uk and rose.lock@theargus.co.uk.