A recommendation to lift a restriction on traffic turning left from Brighton’s London Road into Oxford Street will be put before councillors at the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee next week, Tuesday, 26 November. The recommendation has been put forward in order to formalise details of the transport arrangements in that area.
While investigating complaints from residents regarding apparent illegal traffic movements, officers discovered a trial traffic arrangement that had been in place for over a decade.
During the consultation, residents and businesses in the area asked that the left turn into Oxford Street be allowed as they said it helped people access the Oxford Street car park easily and delivery vehicles to service shops in the area.
Councillor Pete West, Chair of the Committee, explained:
“This is an unusual situation. What officers expected to be a straightforward project to clarify signage in Oxford Street uncovered a trial traffic arrangement that had been there for years. Once the situation was uncovered, officers needed to advertise a traffic order and gather views about whether people would support either formalisation of, or changes to, the existing traffic arrangement.
“The responses we received during the traffic order consultation suggest that restrictions on private vehicles entering London Road from Oxford Street should be formalised to improve the efficiency of bus services. They also indicate that the restriction on private vehicles turning left into Oxford Street from London Road does not benefit bus services but does disadvantage traders and residents, and so should be lifted. My recommendation is to move forward on that basis.”
A further recommendation to formalise the existing restriction on private vehicles turning right into Oxford Street from London Road will also be decided by councillors.
Cllr West added: “If agreed I suggest we consider the whole Oxford Street and London Road junction more fully as part of our investigation into wider improvements for the area.
“In the short term, I’m glad that we are now finally in a position to clarify the Oxford Street signage and put in place measures that will maintain accessibility whilst helping keep traffic moving.”
Reports for the committee can be seen here.