I wrote to the Observer a year ago about the problem with vehicles entering the pedestrian area of Queens Road and Wellington Place. The bollards still don’t work and as food delivery services have become more popular, and it is seemingly common knowledge the barriers don’t work, the pedestrian zone has become a traffic free-for-all nightmare.
There are traffic signs which prohibit entry, stopping and use of the road between 10am and 4pm but they are not being enforced. Ask a question about who has the power to enforce the law and you will soon get a headache with the finger pointing merry-go-round between East Sussex County Council and the Police who all pass the buck.
Every day you can stand in the pedestrian zone between the prohibited hours and watch cars and vans driving through, dodging pedestrians. After 4pm it becomes one big car park. Castle Street, which is situated beside the council offices at Muriel Matters House has become another convenient parking spot as cars parked in this area are rarely challenged, even though the signs make it clear that vehicles cannot stop there at any time.
We must reclaim our town centre and make residents and visitors feel safe. It is every citizen’s right to walk in the pedestrianised area and not feel intimidated. Not only does this problem make the town centre look scruffy but it is also dangerous.
The only answer is a locked, physical barrier, which has been promised, but so far hasn’t transpired. It would be relatively easy to install and emergency services would have a key for emergency use. Not only do we need a physical barrier but the hours of closure need extending to 6pm so that they coincide with the closure of businesses in the area, making shoppers and visitors feel safe once again.
In the meantime, pull your finger out County Council enforcement patrols and do your job!
It was very sad to witness the devastation caused by flooding in the town centre on Monday. To see hardworking businesses having to close, even temporarily for the big clean-up, is heart breaking. Flooding in this area has always been a danger but is negligence to blame for Monday’s disaster?
The outflow from Alexandra Park to where it meets the beach has been buried under shingle ever since rusting pipes were removed a few years ago. Recently, temporary pumps have been installed to take away excess water, but only since the flood on Monday have Southern Water had diggers out removing all the shingle from the buried pipe to seemingly speed up the outflow of water.
An enquiry needs to be held to understand why the flooding was so bad and how to better manage the risk in the future.
