Brighton bus lanes go live today

The Lewes Road bus lanes in Brighton go live today (Monday 30 September) with drivers being warned they now face fines if they use them.

Brighton and Hove City Council issued a warning, saying: “Any vehicles apart from buses and taxis in the lanes risk a £60 fine, reduced to £30 for quick payment.

“By law any fines collected can only be spent on transport measures.”

The council added: “Officials predict bus journey times will be improved by up to 30 per cent while faster travel could attract 25 per cent more passengers. The number of car trips is expected to drop by 10 per cent.”

An official opening ceremony is due to take place on Saturday (5 October).

The council said: “Before the scheme, surveys showed the bus was already the most commonly used mode of transport on the route – cited by 72 per cent.

“Over 4,000 responses were collected, showing over 60 per cent supporting the proposed bus and bike lanes.”

Deputy council leader and lead councillor for transport Ian Davey said: “Our approach is to try to make it easier for everyone to get about.

“So this route will be better and quicker for buses and taxis and more pleasant and safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

“If you have to drive, there will be fewer cars on the route than there would otherwise be so your journey might be better too.”

The council says drivers have been observing the bus lanes well, even before enforcement.

Bus passenger journeys on the route are already up 7 per cent compared with 4 per cent citywide.

Physical works to the road, including bus and bike lanes, have cost about £1 million, paid for with a government grant that can only be used for transport.

The lanes run for two and a half miles in each direction between the Vogue Gyratory and the Amex Stadium in Falmer. Cars are confined to one lane each way, instead of the previous two.

The council said: “A package of transport initiatives on the route are being funded with £4.2 million won from the government’s sustainable transport fund.”

A further £2.25 million is coming from partners including Brighton and Hove Buses, the Big Lemon bus company, Brighton and Hove Albion, Sussex University, Brighton University and Southern Rail.

About £1 million is being spent on the road, including the bus and bike lanes, plus various other physical changes.

The remaining money will be spent on a range of other initiatives including personalised travel planning and working with schools and universities.

There will also be signs, real-time bus information and improved bus waiting areas.

The council said that the scheme had the backing of the Jo Walters Trust set up in memory of a cyclist killed riding near the universities in 2010.