The A259 temporary cycle lane extension has finally had its final designs produced and construction dates set, dependant on TRO being accepted.
Brighton & Hove council were awarded Active Travel Fund Tranche 2 money in November 2020, and designated a few schemes to be constructed with the money including a short term temporary scheme along the A259, extending the current temporary cycle lane. The overall idea of this is to reallocate road space away from motor vehicles and to cyclists, this then gives the council a few years to produce detailed & consulate upon plans for a permanent scheme. However this temporary scheme, despite being funded in November 2020 will not start until October 2022 at the earliest, although the initial funding bid said it would be constructed between January and May 2021.
The temporary scheme has seen another round of revisions for the final detailed design, despite there still being major issues with the design along with scope creep making this more of a permanent scheme implemented badly.
The most recent information given by the council is that the scheme should start construction on the 1st October 2022 and be completed by the 1st December 2022. The scheme is currently having its TRO consultation which is open until the 12th August. This scheme does not have an experimental traffic restriction order, instead a standard traffic restriction order so it doesn’t need to be reviewed after 18 months like the initial temporary cycle lane late last year.
The Plans
The Eastern end of the scheme largely remains the same as the previous revisions although now the right pockets have been widened by providing questionable markings along the edge of the carriageway at the central reserve.There hasn’t been any major revisions around the one-way system since the last designs, although the side roads off the A259 now have a continuous pavement except at St Aubyns. This does also show that the whole pavement is going to be resurfaced. Also the junction with St Aubyns on the northern side will be getting landscaped & a refuge crossing as there is a large amount of redundant space there.Between St Aubyns & Hove Street there has not been any major revisions since the last designsAlong Kingsway much of the road is getting the same treatment at junctions & bus stops, however the difference between the current designs and previous designs is that all junctions now have a right turn pocket marked, this however does require the lane markings on both sides of the roads to be remarked to provide for a suitable width right turn pocket. Additional crossings of the cycle lane have also been provided for access to disabled parking. In some places the central reserve will be removed to provide for a longer right turn pocketThe junction with Wharf Road has had some large changes from the last revision. The cycle lane will now go beyond the junction until the existing Westbound carriageway reduces to a single lane. Right turn pocket is also provided into Saxon Road which requires the Eastbound carriageway to have its lanes markings moved on the approach to Wharf Road Junction. Markings are also provided through the junction to direct cyclists on the existing cycle provision which will become one-way.
