Tag Archives: Brighton Station gateway

Brighton Life, Letters

Surrey Street Chaos

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I sent the following letter to the Mayor, Chair of the Environment, and Councillors Lizzie Deane and Louisa Greenbaum in the hope of getting the traffic in Surrey Street sorted out once and for all. I should very much appreciate it if you could publish it in The Whistler.

I bought a house on Surrey Street in January 2014 and moved in on the day the Brighton Station Gateway Scheme works began. During the following 12 months residents were informed in advance of works to be carried out by Tom Campbell, the project manager, who was on hand for any queries or worries we had. He was always very courteous and helpful, as were the team who carried out the work. It looked so pretty and idyllic when it was completed but it wasn’t a week before the two of the newly planted trees had been mowed over by traffic using the pavement. Continue reading Surrey Street Chaos →

Brighton Life, Features

Residents say NO to Terminus Road Taxi Rank proposal

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Over 80 local residents gathered in West Hill Hall on Tuesday 8 December to discuss the Council’s proposals for moving the Taxi Rank at Brighton Station to Terminus Road for a trial period, (a proposal which the Council’s own report had deemed not viable). When taxis had been sited there on a temporary basis during the re-layout works round station in the summer, traffic chaos, pollution and unacceptable noise had plagued residents, businesses, and station users. Continue reading Residents say NO to Terminus Road Taxi Rank proposal →

Environment

Brighton Station – 1840 meets 2015

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Mired in controversy due to paving slabs having to be dug up and re-laid twice, and traffic and noise disruption hurting businesses and residents, here’s one Brighton resident and Whistler contributor, Ajit Chambers, who can see beyond the issues and look forward to a brighter future for the station and its environs…

The beautiful square outside Brighton station is slowly being chiselled back to what it felt like in 1840. Ornate painted railings facing simple white aristocratic buildings attempting to proudly mirror Mocatta with their fine white detailing. The hint of top hats, carriages and walking sticks are right at home in this historic square. Continue reading Brighton Station – 1840 meets 2015 →

Brighton Life, Environment

Return of the Wizard

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You may have read my article about Seven Dials in the last edition, and now I write about Brighton station: our hub of survival; a lifeline for our commute; and a place that reminds us of home as we return from the Big Smoke.

The wizard of Seven Dials has returned, this time to lay a tree-lined double pavement in Surrey Street leading to the station. The crew arrived to build it, and did a near perfect job, I must say. Polite and fun, I almost miss them. Now for the detail: the kerb is too high for a car to stop with two wheels on it, and since there is now only one lane because of the double pavement, you can’t stop to deliver shopping or drop off children and dogs, or wait to pick up a loved one from the train. Any single car that tries to stop now blocks one of only two roads that lead to Brighton mainline station front entrance. At least there isn’t a bus stop at the end as there is at Seven Dials. Oops! Oh no! Wait, there is.

Continue reading Return of the Wizard →

Environment

Brighton Station Gateway

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The Brighton Station Gateway scheme, after years of false hopes and starts, has finally begun its journey, kicking off Phase 1 in Surrey Street, which is due to be completed by March.

Work includes new paving, a wider footway, loading bays, road resurfacing, and tree planting. During the consultation meetings there were suggestions to exclude the trees in order to allow queuing / parking on the side of the road. However, the designers felt that the advantages to pedestrians of the enlarged footway and increased greenery, and the disadvantages to local residents of queuing vehicles, outweighed the advantages to vehicles.

Roll on March, as the traffic temporarily diverted down Buckingham Road is causing danger to residents who are having to dodge speeding cars, whose drivers are ignoring the slowing road humps.