Flood warnings & Sussex cliff erosion, parking fees on the rise, a new cycle route & charitable work

That was the week that was, when Sussex was warned “your coast is going to be swallowed by the sea” and two caretakers swallowed sheeps’ eyes for charity.
The Environment Agency brought Christmas cheer to an economically-depressed populous by announcing that 10 miles of our coastline will crumble or wash away within 15 years due to erosion, with Newhaven, Seaford and Birling Gap being the most vulnerable, and properties from Brighton to Littlehampton will be at risk
from flooding.
But before we all start filling sandbags, there are plans to spend millions “holding the line” and protecting the coast. The agency has a map for residents to study – http://tinyurl.com/bl8fujo
Floods may be heading our way but, ironically, our reservoirs are half empty due to lack of rain. And just to add to the festive cheer, the winter vomitting bug, norovirus, hit the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and had to close wards after both nurses and patients fell victim.
The city council joined the fun by announcing it is considering raising some on and off-street parking charges in, what it claims, is a “bid to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and cut down on pollution”.
The city, exposed by the BBC as one that charges motorists more in fees and fines than most others in the South, is going for “selective increases as one way to manage demand, help cut down on traffic volumes in the city, and encourage residents and visitors to consider sustainable transport options such as walking, cycling and public transport”.
Latest 7 reader Christine Robertson said: “It’s just a cash cow. We are all for fighting pollution and congestion but many new cars these days emit cleaner air than goes in them, and we’re already being hit with higher fuel charges.”
Parking fees in the city have gone up every year and this time the council reckons the combined effect of raising some tariffs for on and off-street parking will bring in an extra £1.3m. The council, determined to combat “serious pollution and congestion”, says any surplus collected from the increases would be reinvested into transport schemes such as free bus travel for over 60s, better transport links, school travel planning and highways maintenance.
And motorists who park illegally but drive off as an enforcement officer approaches could soon find a parking ticket dropping on their doorstep. The council is considering allowing enforcement officers to use CCTV footage and hand held cameras to gather evidence and issue tickets for ‘drive-aways.’ The council has always had the power to use CCTV evidence and issue tickets by post, (under the Traffic Management Act 2004) but until now has not done so.
Currently, drivers can avoid a ticket if they drive away while the officer is processing the information, which takes around two minutes. This gives enough time for a driver to dash out of nearby shop and drive away.
Cyclists, meanwhile, are being given more of their own space on the local roads – Councillor Ian Davey was photographed cycling along Old Shoreham Road where a new cycle route is being built.
In other news, Sussex’s former stunt rider, brave Eddie Kidd, brain damaged when he crashed, has announced he is planning to renew his vows with his wife Sami. He spends much of his time in a wheelchair but he’s hoping to walk down the aisle to join his bride. Eddie has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity.
While on the subject of charity, spare a thought for Steve Chapman and David Rhoden, caretakers at the University of Brighton, who ate pigs’ snouts, locusts and sheeps’ eyes to raise cash for BBC’s Children
in Need.