- Funding was provided under tranche 1 of the COVID-19 active travel fund
- Council was required to ‘meaningfully alter the status quo on the road’ - but St James’s Street clogged with Council Bins
A Brighton & Hove pavement widened under the COVID-19 ‘active travel’ funding has already become clogged up with Council bins.
The loading bay and taxi rank opposite the junction of St James’s Street and Manchester Street (next to Morrisons) was filled with bitumen in June through funds provided by the Government in tranche 1 of the Government’s emergency active travel funding. The city received £594,000 under the first tranche of the Government’s £250 million emergency travel fund.
However just a few months later the newly widened pavement has become clogged with barricade of bins, creating a pinch point in the pavement and making social distancing difficult.
Conservative Spokesperson on Licensing and Equalities Dee Simson said that the funding from the Government was provided to the Council to promote active travel, not provide a new storage facility for council bins.
“The funding was provided to the council to promote active travel measures and ‘meaningfully alter the status quo on the road’ – in this case make it easier for people using pavement to social distance along St James’s street” Cllr Simson said.
“It was not meant to provide increased storage space for council wheelie bins.
“The site outside Morrisons is busy as it is, especially with people having to queue to enter the shop during Covid-19.
“The bins create a pinch point that make social distancing impossible. I feel for people with a disability, many of whom are vulnerable, who are finding it difficult to socially distance on Brighton’s pavements.
“It is also worth noting taxi operators gave up this site for the benefit of the City’s residents, which is not being used for the correct purpose.
“I call on the Council to make sure that the pavement has been meaningfully widened at this site to assist everyone to social distance” Cllr Simson added.
