Conservatives set out Transport demands ahead of key meeting

1. Conservatives call for old Shoreham Road temporary cycle lane to be removed

2. Madeira Drive should be partially open one-way immediately

3. Conservatives propose immediate changes to support Blue Badge holders

4. All Tranche 1 measures not yet installed and all Tranche 2 measures being planned to be paused to allow for full public consultation.

At the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee the Conservative Group are calling for the Old Shoreham Road temporary cycle lane to be removed as there was no meaningful consultation with residents before installation, for Madeira Drive to be partially open one-way immediately, for changes to support Blue Badge holders and for all Tranche 1 measures not yet installed and all Tranche 2 measures being planned to be paused to allow for full public consultation. 

Conservative transport spokesperson, Cllr. Lee Wares said

Part of the cycle lane on the A259 was removed because it wasn’t working, Duke’s Mound end of Madeira drive was altered because that wasn’t working, and for the same reason, the council needs to remove the Old Shoreham Road cycle lane.

Old Shoreham Road may feature at some future point as the Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan develops and if it does, then that will the time for the city to have a full open discussion on its place within the cycling network the city desperately needs.

We are concerned that the Administration’s plans to open Madeira Drive to one-way traffic has unnecessary delay built-in and should be implemented immediately as traders and Blue Badge holders have been negatively impacted for too long already.

We are also disappointed that after 163 days since concerns were highlighted by Blue Badge holders, little has changed. Our amendment lays out what needs to be done straight away.

As for future Covid transport proposals, we have seen the negative impact it has when the public are not consulted. We believe the time has come for the council to stop what hasn’t yet been done and go to the people to ask for their views and consent.

We remain committed to helping the city develop better infrastructure for cycling and walking and feel that the council has not gone far enough. That is why we are also raising the issue that the suburbs, yet again, are not being focused on. The council has been talking about better cycling and walking infrastructure since 2016, had it done more over the last four years we may not be in the situation we are today.”