Eco-Action Transport Group have always said, that to meet the 2030 carbon target, there needs to be a modal shift away from cars and towards bus and cycling. That means re-allocating space, changing priorities and spending money.
However the Government has threatened, that funding for active travel schemes, would only be provided to councils, who have a good track record of delivering. This has the consequence that East Sussex County Council (ESCC) have recently struggled to get funding. One exception is £41M for bus improvements, though the detailed plans will need to be signed off by Department for Transport (DfT).
Recent unsuccessful bids include elements of the “Hailsham to Eastbourne Corridor” along A22/A2270, and pedestrian access in the Eastbourne Town Centre Phase 2A. Likewise the latest Active Travel ‘Covid’ funding allocated ESCC nothing,
For walking and cycling the DfT will only support schemes that comply with design guidance (LTN 1/20). They are not able to support schemes with any of the below elements:-
Shared use paths
Lack of protection at junctions
Cycle tracks in locations where they may not be well-used
Poor value for money
Not forming part of a coherent wider network
East Sussex County Council have contacted the DfT to discuss their failure to get funds and to get guidance for future bids specifically for cycling and walking schemes.
So what does this mean ? Both East Sussex and Eastbourne Councils believe in consultation and balancing all the various stakeholders. That has meant compromises have had to be made in terms of space allocated to bus and cycle schemes. Campaigners are of the opinion that cycling provision in the town has actually become worse.
If future schemes are to be funded then they need to meet the criteria and as the DfT state ‘Paint on the road is no longer enough‘. The danger is, in order not to upset the car lobby, then nothing will be built. With the projection of 25% more traffic locally by 2039 this can only lead to gridlock at peak times. Plus an increase in the carbon footprint which would seriously undermine the delivery of a Carbon Neutral Eastbourne by 2030, as mandated unanimously by all Eastbourne councillors.
As 2021 draws to a close, now is a good time to review the progress of the Eastbourne Eco Action Network.
As 2021 draws to a close, now is a good time to review the progress of the Eastbourne Eco Action Network, which has been very active throughout the year despite all the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Here’s a selection of the highlights as I, Andrew Durling, see them from my perspective as CEO of the Eastbourne Eco Action CIC.
Housing, Energy & Environment
The 2021 Eastbourne Eco Homes webinar was designed and hosted by the Housing and Energy Working Group. Their extensive research helped local residents make their homes much more energy-efficient.
The Housing & Energy, Research and Transport Groups drafted three Technical Advice Notices (TANs), which were adopted by Eastbourne Borough Council. These rules form a crucial part of the planning guidance for ensuring that developments within Eastbourne are as environmentally sound as possible within current planning law. The TANs cover EV infrastructure, Sustainability in Development, and Biodiversity Net Gain. The Housing & Energy Group have scrutinised the EBC development proposals for the Old Magistrate Court site in Old Orchard Road, and are lobbying for these TANs to be fully incorporated into design schemes. Additionally, the group is actively working with Eastbourne Borough Council and the ECO Action Transport Group to create Low Traffic Neighbourhoods within the town.
The Research Group’s upstream liaison with Eastbourne Borough Council over the Environment Agency’s Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Defences Scheme has been a success. Members of the group also collaborate with Ralph Lucas, an Eastbourne resident who is a member of the House of Lords, over biodiversity net gain standards in the Environment Bill and the ecological impacts of Queen’s Green Canopy Project.
We liaised with councillors and council officers about the development of the Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme. The Environment Agency has designed the scheme to strengthen the local sea defences so they can cope with the predicted rise in sea levels that climate change will induce by 2100. Without improved sea defences, Eastbourne will become increasingly vulnerable to severe flooding from storm surges.
Sustainability in 2021
The Eastbourne Food Partnership (EFP), some members of which emerged from the EEAN’s Food Working Group and Climate Adaptation Group, became a Community Interest Company in 2021. The change enabled the group to successfully gain its first grant funding to facilitate the development of a sustainable, climate-resilient local food network that can ensure a supply of fresh, healthy, locally produced food distributed equitably to all local residents.
Furthermore, the EFP is now a member of the national Sustainable Food Places network, and works in close collaboration with 3VA and East Sussex County Council. It has recently been liaising with councillors and council officers about how the Eastbourne Food Partnership, and the EEAN in general, could have some sort of presence within the Food Street project developing in Victoria Place.
Moreover, EEAN wrote vital proposals for ensuring that the Eastbourne Levelling Up Fund (LUF) remains within the purview of the Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030 strategy. The Transport Group and CIC submitted a proposal for the delivery of bus priority lanes, to unlock investment in zero carbon buses to reduce pollution supporting modal shift from cars to buses. Given that the LUF aims to increase the number of visitors to Eastbourne by 500,000 per year, a Transport Plan has to be at the heart of the LUF to prevent transport emissions within the town from increasing, and the Transport Working Group has been instrumental in designing that plan throughout 2021.
We have supported the continuing success of Treebourne (which evolved from the Carbon Capture Working Group) and EcoEd2030 (which evolved from the Education Working Group) through administrative support such as draft policy templates, advice on CIC forms, banking services for Treebourne; and an offer of financial grant to help with set up costs. Two CIC directors along with colleagues planted and cared for hundreds of baby trees in the Churchdale Allotment, some 400 of which have been transferred for planting at Tugwell Park.
Social Media & Public Profile in 2021
We have extended our active social media presence with the help of the one paid employee in the EEAN CIC gained under the government’s Kickstart programme. We created a fresh newsletter format using that presence to complete, and publicise, for the first time ever, a detailed survey – prepared by the Kickstart employee with aid from the Transport Working Group – of local people’s opinions about the local bus service, and how it could be improved. This has given a voice to bus users within our community, and we continue to lobby on their behalf.
Some of the results have been used by East Sussex County Council in compiling its own analysis of local bus services and how to improve them. This has helped increase our newsletter subscriptions by 47%. This bus survey reached over 12,000 local citizens. Our recent social media posts of Andy Durling’s speech at the COP26 rally in September reached over 6,800 people via organic growth across our social media channels.
On wider communication, the CIC and other network groups contribute to the Eastbourne Borough Council ECN2030 Newsletter sent to over 10,000 residents; and the CIC and Groups have had articles published in the Eastbourne Herald, stimulating further engagement from the community.
As members of the Eastbourne Cultural Strategy Group and following on from our collaboration with them to facilitate the “Full Frontal” artworks on the empty Debenhams store, we have introduced this group to the possibility of using cultural engagement on the theme of climate change awareness and responses modelled on the excellent work of Creative Carbon Scotland.
We were delighted to work with a local artist and Eastbourne BID in the creation of the ‘You are part of history mural’ located at the junction of York and Grove Road in Eastbourne.
We participated in the march and rally organised by the Eastbourne Climate Coalition on 6 November to coincide with the start of the UN COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. I delivered a speech to the rally on behalf of the EEAN, which was later published as a blog on the website. This address had an organic reach in social media of over 6,800, thanks to our Kickstart employee. The EEAN CIC is now collaborating with the Eastbourne Climate Coalition to set up a Climate Hub in Eastbourne.
Thank you!
On behalf of all my colleagues in the EEAN CIC, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and deep gratitude to all the CIC directors, groups and partner organisations within the EEAN for their hard work in the face of the incredible difficulties we’ve all had to deal with in this pandemic year. You are heroes all! I hope you have a very restful and peaceful Christmas and New Year and come back refreshed in 2022 to continue the great work of helping to deal with the greatest challenge of our time: the Climate Emergency.
On a more personal note, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to Miles Berkley, my predecessor as CEO of the EEAN CIC, for his immense contributions to the EEAN and to ecological action generally during his two years in office. His dedication to developing effective collaboration between all partners within the Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030 campaign was exceptional and will have a lasting and deep impact.
East Sussex County Council have consulted the public over plans to make Polegate High Street a 20mph speed limit.
East Sussex County Council have consulted the public over plans to make Polegate High Street a 20mph speed limit, which suggests the Council are using the road as trial to see whether a lower speed limit could make the county’s streets safer and cleaner.
The consultation closed on 26 November. Other suggested improvements for Polegate High Street include better pedestrian access and improved bus stop facilities.
The 20mph speed limit trend
There is a growing trend to make densely populated urban areas more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.
The Welsh government already have a head start. In Wales, the current Government is introducing a 20mph speed limit on certain roads across the country. The change will be trialled in eight communities to gather data about best practice. If the trial is a success, the 20mph speed limit could become the standardised in Wales by 2023.
Scientists once thought driving at 20mph was less efficient and more polluting than travelling at 30mph.
However, these scientists based their findings on engines ‘cruising’ over a period of time. New research by Skyrad based on ‘stop/start’ traffic tests, suggests that one might find in a town centre that CO2 emissions were 26% lower at 20mph while NOx was 28% lower at 20mph.
This is great news for campaigners who believe urban speed limits keep pedestrians safe and reduce noise pollution.
Speed limits reduce carbon emissions
Skyrad’s graph shows that the mean CO2 produced is a minimum between 15 and 20mph
According to the evidence, if more UK urban areas enforce a 20mph speed limit, carbon emissions will decrease.
Rob King, MBE and founder of ‘20’s Plenty for Us’, praised the research’s findings
He said ‘This research quantifies the effect and shows how reducing maximum speeds can have a significant effect on emissions.’
Speed limits improve air quality
Skyrad’s second graph shows that a lower speed limit would also improve air quality by reducing the amount of NOx. A combustion engine produces NOx, a harmful pollutant, when it burns fuel.
Speed Limits: The Transport Group view
1] The EEAN transport Group support this project in Polegate and are keen to see other similar projects in the Eastbourne. In response to the consultation, the EEAN Transport Group suggested further improvements to the plan.Install low cost ‘implied’ zebra crossings. These cost less than £1,000 each and do not include a Belisha Beacon, which can take the cost to around £30,000. In Greater Manchester, early trials show that drivers are more likely to give way to pedestrians when an ‘implied’ zebra crossing is in place. The implementation of the ‘implied’ zebra would give more priority to pedestrians, particularly children and older adults. An ‘implied’ zebra crossing would also improve mobility between transport hubs on the High Street.
2] Providing more prominent signage to encourage drivers to turn their engines off while stopped at the Polegate railway crossing. This would improve air quality for pedestrians and residents. The signage should be extended along the road on both sides of the crossing so that more drivers are aware of the request to turn off their engines. In our experience of walking along the High Street when the crossing is closed, most drivers do not turn off their engines.
A new report indicates that bus usage in the United Kingdom has decreased over the past decade as more people take journeys in their cars. The Annual Bus Statistics Report shows that over half a billion less bus journeys were made per year between 2010 and 2020, a fall of some 11.8 per cent compared to previous decades.
The decline in bus passengers across the country, particularly in England, has caused significant concern among local authorities. In March 2021, the Government announced Bus Back Better, a £3bn fund to help Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) make English bus services more appealing to people who live outside of London.
In June 2021, East Sussex County Council, which is the LTA for Eastbourne, declared the Council would pursue an Enhanced Bus Partnership in partnership with Stagecoach. The Council and Stagecoach must submit a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to the Government, who will then choose whether or not to reward the funding to Eastbourne.
Why does Eastbourne need a Bus Service Improvement Plan?
Investing in a better bus service could reduce the rush hour traffic on key Eastbourne routes, such as Lottbridge Drove
One of the Bus Back Better scheme’s aims is to move England towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050. By stimulating the greater use of buses, the hope is that there will be fewer private car journeys. As a result, traffic congestion will decrease, which in turn will cut down the release of harmful greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere.
The next deadline for all LTAs to submit their proposals is the end of October 2021. East Sussex County Council are required to publish their Bus Service Improvement Plan, which is highly anticipated by many Eastbourne residents.
A large part of the £3bn funding is dedicated to buying zero emission buses. However, East Sussex County Council will only receive funding if their bid is approved. The Government is clear that the funding will be allocated on the basis of the ’overall quality of the BSIP’. If East Sussex County Council submit a poor plan, Eastbourne could receive less funding than expected.
If the bid is successful, what can Eastbourne residents expect to see?
A better bus service is in reach…but only if East Sussex County Council can win over the Government
Because the government funding is spread thin across England, it is likely that local bus services will only receive enough money to make a few minor changes. As for spending the money, East Sussex County Council have several possible options. These “leveling up” plans could include the following:
More frequent buses.
Bus priority measure to speed up buses (e.g. limiting some road side parking).
Lower fares.
More comprehensive coverage by bus services.
Sections of bus lanes on roads.
What do Eastbourne residents want from a modern bus service?
A fleet of Stagecoach buses waiting for someone to invest in their wheels
Between August and September, the Eastbourne Eco Action Network CIC created a survey to find out what Eastbourne actually wanted from a modern bus service. Almost 300 people responded and their thoughts were inspiring. The EEAN’s Bus Survey Reportis now available to view. We recommend it highly.
Derrick Coffee writes to the Eastbourne Herald and explains the dangers of ignoring Eastbourne’s transport crisis
Derrick Coffee, County Officer for Transport Futures East Sussex, has written an open letter to Eastbourne Herald, explaining the dangers of ignoring Eastbourne’s developing transport crisis – and what we can do to fix it.
Dear Editor,
Lots of transport issues and some opportunities are discussed in your edition of 20th August. These topics included the Bus Service Improvement Plan, five proposed cycle routes, ‘paid for parking’, and £250,000 funding for ‘traffic signal controlled junctions’.
With the transport sector being the largest emitter of carbon in the UK, and the international Climate Change ‘Conference of the Parties’ (COP26) only weeks away, all of the topics mentioned should have a part to play in securing measures to bring UK carbon emissions down. If successful, the biggest winners will be all children – and babies born after any successful commitments coming out of the COP26 gathering: but, we’ll all be winners!
Planning for Better Buses
First, the buses. The Government’s own advisers warn against the simple notion that swapping petrol and diesel for electric vehicles is the answer. Congestion, casualties, sprawling ‘land hungry’ car based developments, ugly streets, habitat destruction and unhealthy inactive lifestyles would continue. Eastbourne and Wealden councils should collaborate on creating more forward-thinking solutions.
If successful, the biggest winners will be all children
Competition between richer nations for precious resources in vehicle and battery manufacture will cause conflict and environmental degradation. The answers have to include shared transport, active travel and efficient and well designed urban development. (Current developments don’t have those characteristics!).
Shared transport means buses, trains and car clubs. The BSIP should include a whole range of incentives to increase bus usage including expanded services and new routes. Above all, the buses need priority measures such as bus lanes to speed up services and beat congestion. These already remove thousands of cars daily from the A259 through Peacehaven.
Transport Futures: Safe Cycle Routes
Cycle routes – yes please. But these must be measured against their ability to allow children to cycle to school and for the rest of us to access our daily needs. The 5 routes will help but more routes are needed with default 20mph limits in residential areas and on some sections of main roads.
However, without speed restrictions, parents will not allow their children to cycle. Frequent poor and threatening driving styles depress levels of cycling and walking, and must be eliminated. Acoustic cameras should be installed to remove aggressive and illegally loud vehicles. Furthermore, walking routes are also crucial and flared junctions should be narrowed, roundabouts redesigned to reduce entry/exit speeds, and pedestrian/cycle priority across junctions in residential areas should be adopted town wide.
The Real Cost of Free Parking in the Transport Debate
Parking? Too much cheap or free parking causes congestion and makes all other more sustainable forms of transport unpleasant or inefficient. Politicians love to promise freedom to park anywhere for free but they all know it will lead to gridlock. It’s not a very inefficient use of the precious resource: land. No-one wants more traffic. The £250,000 for ‘signal controlled junctions’ could be used to speed up the buses and to give pedestrians and cyclists priority. Prioritising sustainable transport locally is also shown to reduce longer car journeys, reducing the need for damaging road projects such as an off-line A27.
Leaders at all levels of government should be loudly proclaiming support for the objectives of COP26 (reducing carbon emissions; restoring habitats and increasing biodiversity) and measures to deliver them. The Herald could publish articles featuring transport and planning proposals and rate them out of 10 for eco friendliness!
Did this article interest you? Find out more about Eastbourne transport issues by joining our Transport Group!
Derrick Coffee
County Officer, Transport Futures East Sussex
Images: PA Media & Pxhere
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