WEDNESDAY’S letter about cycle lanes from an unnamed person was interesting.

It did however make me realise that there has not been a comprehensive write-up on the council’s cycle lane schemes, so here is my take on them.

The A23 would see a greatly improved continuous cycle lanes from Argyll Road, to/from the bypass roundabout, including a new northbound cycle lane. It is hoped the southbound bus lane will not be affected.

Changes to several junctions are mentioned. The last time the council attempted to install traffic signals at the Carden Avenue junction, it was likely to cause congestion problems.

If the A23 through the South Road/Preston Drove junction is narrowed to a single "ahead" lane, this is likely to cause greater congestion problems.

However, the Old Shoreham Road, is the big one. The council plans to extend the existing "temporary" cycle lanes along the Old Shoreham Road, to the Southwick border.

This means reducing the existing heavily used dual-carriageway to a single lane.

Starting with some rare good news, the council intends to extend the separate Olive Road right turn lane, so reducing the delays the cycle lane causes. The negative side of this, is traffic will be banned from the popular right turn into Stapley Road (which several corresponds have noted).

Instead, this traffic is likely to continue along the Old Shoreham to the Boundary Road junction, further increasing the already lengthy delays, including to the bus service 2 (queues have previously stretched back to Olive Road).

But it gets worse. Because the cycle lane would continue through the junction, vehicles will basically not be able to use the inside lane at all, further increasing congestion.

The problems eastbound, are in some ways worse. Currently traffic is able to merge after the junction, with minimal delays. As the cycle lane is likely to absorb the inside lane throughout the junction, it is difficult to see how substantial new delays will be avoided, as traffic is restricted into a single "ahead" lane. This is likely to adversely affect bus services 2, 6 and 46.

The problems do not end there. Notable amounts of traffic turns right into Benfield Way and particularly Foredown Drive (6 route).

With the cycle lane utilising the inside lane, westbound traffic could be brought to a standstill, by right-turning vehicles.

And then there is the Locks Hill Junction. The cycle lane will also halve east-west traffic flow at the junction. It is difficult to know whether the Locks Hill or Boundary Road junction will face the most congestion problems.

And this is supposed to be the advisory route to Shoreham harbour and at one time into central Brighton.

If built, it could follow the eastern end of the A259 cycle lanes into oblivion.

By comparison, the A259 coast road (and 700 route) has got off lightly. The current plans are to extend the westbound "temporary" cycle lane, to Glendor Road, narrowing westbound traffic down to a single lane. However, this could well cause congestion problems at the Hove Street/Sackville junction, with its multi-way traffic signals.

When considering expected traffic delays on all the schemes (including the current coast road scheme); it useful to remember that perhaps only half of employees are currently travelling to their usual place of work (as others are working from home, furlough etc). Also schools, universities, shops and tourism are mostly closed. We have yet to see "normal" traffic levels, since the cycle lanes have been installed. So if the schemes are implemented, congestion is likely to increase dramatically when things get back to normal.

My aim is always to think of buses first. The schemes are likely to adversely affect several bus routes directly. And as motorists look to avoid congestion, they seek alternative routes. This is likely to adversely affect many other bus services.

Also in normal times, bus usage is, say, ten times more popular than cycling then overall, the proposals may actually undermine climate change alternatives to the car. And "poor" design is likely to discourage further cycle lanes as it has undermined further bus priority.

Further details are available at brighton-hove.gov.uk/onejourneybetter website although detailed design is eschewed and ability to criticise is limited.

Peter Elvidge

Wish Road

Hove