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Report to: |
Lead Member for Transport and Environment
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Date of meeting:
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8 December 2025 |
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By: |
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
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Title: |
Eastbourne Town Centre Phase 2B Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders
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Purpose: |
To consider the use of Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders for Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package Phase 2b and Victoria Place.
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RECOMMENDATIONS: The Lead Member is recommended to:
1) note the previous development work that has been undertaken in relation to the Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package 2b, ‘Victoria Place’ project; and
1 Background
1.1 East Sussex County Council received £8m from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Local Growth Fund towards the Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package. £5m funded Phase 1 (Terminus Road, Cornfield Road, Gildredge Road, to support the Beacon shopping centre extension), completed in 2020/21. After SELEP approved a further business case in February 2019, £3m was allocated to Phase 2a (Terminus Road: Bankers Corner, Bolton Road, Langney Road); revised Phase 2a plans were then approved in November and December 2024.
1.2 The Phase 2b ‘Victoria Place’ element of the Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package, which focuses on pedestrianisation improvements along Terminus Road between Seaside and Grand Parade, secured £4.74m funding from Eastbourne’s Round 1 Levelling Up Fund (LUF) submission to Government in autumn 2021. On 14 March 2022, the Lead Member for Transport and Environment approved the County Council's entry into a grant funding agreement with Eastbourne Borough Council for LUF funds, which must be used by March 2026.
1.3 The Phase 2b scheme seeks to:
· Build on Phase 1 and Phase 2a, by completing the pedestrian spinal route on Terminus Road through the primary retail area of Eastbourne town centre to the seafront.
· Improve pedestrian safety and accessibility (ease of movement for vulnerable users, parents or carers with pushchairs etc.) by reallocating road space in the Victoria Place section of Terminus Road to pedestrians.
· Complete the pedestrian spinal route on Terminus Road through the primary retail area of Eastbourne town centre to the seafront.
· Improve the public realm within the town centre by upgrading street furniture and signage.
1.4 A public consultation was undertaken between October and November 2022 on the principal design of the overall Phase 2b scheme. This involved consultation with local residents, businesses, taxi operators and bus operators. The outcomes of the public consultation and next steps were reported to the Lead Member for Transport and Environment in September 2023 where it was resolved to proceed to detailed design and construction stages.
2. Supporting information
Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders
2.1 To ensure that the scheme can function as designed once construction is complete, it is necessary to implement the associated Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) and Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETRO).
Under the ETRO proposals, officers would advertise hours in connection to the loading and unloading on Terminus Road, between Seaside and Burlington Road once further stakeholder engagement has been undertaken.
2.2 Part of the regulatory process would include providing notice of the proposed changes to be implemented under the ETRO , testing the proposals, a review period and updates or amendments made to the order if necessary. There will be a 6-month period, beginning when the restrictions are put in place, where representations will be reviewed and any objections would then be considered by the County Council’s Planning Committee. The ETRO could be in place for up to 18 months.
2.3 This process would allow for more flexibility to review and adapt the timings and restrictions based on qualitative feedback from the public and key stakeholders. As part of the ETRO, officers would monitor and evaluate how the proposed changes under the ETRO are received and this would be documented through the formation of an evaluation plan.
2.4 This approach is recommended as part of the ETRO process, as it will enable a trial period to be used to collate feedback to inform the ETRO restrictions and timings before they may be implemented permanently.
Traffic Regulation Orders
2.5 An initial informal consultation on the proposed TRO associated with the Phase 2b scheme was carried out between 4 and 25 September 2024 with Eastbourne Borough Council, County Councillors, and statutory consultees, including the emergency services and local bus operators.
2.6 On 8 November 2024, the County Council gave notice under the relevant sections of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (as amended), that it was proposing to make a TRO. A copy of the advertised Notice was placed at 10 locations in the vicinity of Terminus Road, copies of the proposals were also placed on the County Council’s Consultation website. In addition, the Public Notice was advertised in the local newspaper (The Eastbourne Herald) on 14 November 2024. Statutory Consultees were also contacted again to make them aware of the formal consultation. The formal period for representations ended on 29 November 2024.
2.7 The Phase 2b TRO proposals are as follows:
· Reverse the existing one way on Terminus Road. Vehicles would enter from Seaside Road and exit via Burlington Road.
· Create a public space by closing the section of Terminus Road between Burlington Road and Grand Parade.
· Remove all on street parking bays on Terminus Road between Grand Parade and Trinity Trees/Seaside Road.
· Remove existing westbound bus stop on Trinity Trees/Seaside Road outside British Heart Foundation.
· Remove the existing northbound bus stop on Terminus Road.
· Relocate 2 disabled parking spaces on Seaside Road (east of the Terminus Road junction) from the southern side to northern side of the road.
2.8 A report on the outcome of the TRO advertisement was presented to the County Council’s Planning Committee on 19 February 2025. The committee resolved to support the officer’s recommendations and not uphold objections to the draft order (not including the loading and unloading hours) and recommend to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport that the TRO be made in part.
Delivery Programme and Construction
2.9 All necessary preliminary and detailed designs, (RIBA stages 3 and 4) have been completed. Construction of the scheme commenced in February 2025, and the majority of main works are due to be complete by December 2025, with final and post-construction works due to complete by March 2026.
2.10 To support these timescales officers are seeking approval to trial the hours of access, to identify the most suitable timings for the local traders and residents under an ETRO ahead of construction completing.
3. Conclusion and reasons for recommendations
3.1 The Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package: Phase 2b and ‘Victoria Place’ scheme, has received substantial Levelling Up Fund investment via Eastbourne Borough Council, to enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility in Eastbourne’s town centre. The County Council is acting as the project deliverer for the scheme, which must be delivered by March 2026.
3.2 Based on continued stakeholder engagement and feedback received and to ensure the County Council meets its statutory duties for consultation on Traffic Regulation Orders, the Lead Member is recommended to agree that the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order is advertised on completion of construction in relation to vehicular access and timings on the scheme.
3.3 Following the outcomes of the ETRO a further report detailing any objections made, will be presented to the County Council’s Planning Committee for their consideration.
RUPERT CLUBB
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
Contact Officer: Emma
Burt
Email: majorprojectsandgrowth@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL MEMBERS
Councillors Stephen Holt and Brett Wright
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
None