Report to:                     Lead Member for Transport and Environment

Date of meeting:          16 March 2026

By:                                Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

Title:                            Eastbourne Town Centre Phase 2A Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders

Purpose:                     To consider the use of Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders for Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package Phase 2a Terminus Road (Cornfield Road to Langney Road)  

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 2a, Terminus Road (Cornfield Road to Langney Road); and

2) agree that Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders are advertised post construction in relation to vehicular access and timings within the Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package Phase 2a project.

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 towards the completion of Phase 2a (Terminus Road: Bankers Corner, Bolton Road, Langney Road).

1.2      The Phase 2a scheme seeks to:

• Deliver improvements which support and complement changes made in Phase 1 and Phase 2b of the Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package.
• Improve pedestrian safety and accessibility (ease of movement for vulnerable users, parents or carers with pushchairs etc) by reallocating road space in the section of Terminus Road between Banker’s Corner and M&S/Millets to pedestrians.
• Continue 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.

1.3       A public consultation was undertaken between November and December 2019 on the principal design of the overall Phase 2a scheme. This involved consultation with local residents, businesses, taxi operators and bus operators. The outcomes of the public consultation and next steps where collated and a report was presented to the Lead Member in April 2020 where it was resolved to proceed to detailed design and construction stages.

1.4 The detailed design for Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package Phase 2a was approved on 19 July 2021 by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment with construction scheduled for 2025/26 after revised plans and final approvals were provided by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment in November 2024.

1.5 The scheme began construction in September 2025 and is currently scheduled to be completed by August 2026. Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) and Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) will be needed for the scheme’s operation, with public consultations held before any permanent changes.

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) within Bankers’ Corner, Bolton Road and Langney Road.

2.2       Under the ETRO proposals, officers would advertise hours in connection to loading and unloading on Terminus Road, between Bankers’ Corner, Bolton Road and Langney Road, once further stakeholder engagement has been undertaken.

2.3       As part of the regulatory process for an ETRO, notice must be given about the proposed changes, followed by a period in which the measures are put in place and monitored. During this time, feedback and representations can be submitted, and these will be reviewed throughout the minimum six‑month period from when the restrictions begin. Any objections raised will be carefully considered and may lead to updates or amendments to the order, which would then be determined by the County Council’s Planning Committee.

2.4       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.

Traffic Regulation Orders

2.5       An initial informal consultation on the proposed TRO associated with the Phase 2a scheme was carried out between 6 January 2025 to 26 January 2025 with Eastbourne Borough Council, County Councillors, and statutory consultees, including the emergency services and local bus operators.

2.6       On 4 April 2025, 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 17 locations in the vicinity of Terminus Road, copies of the proposals were also placed on the County Council’s Consultation website Eastbourne Phase 2a formal Traffic Regulation Order advertisement - East Sussex - Citizen Space. In addition, the Public Notice was advertised in the local newspaper (The Eastbourne Herald). Statutory Consultees were also contacted again to make them aware of the formal consultation. The formal period for representations ended on 25 April 2025.

2.7       The Phase 2a TRO proposals are as follows:

· Changes to Prohibition of Waiting At Any Time in Bolton Road, Lismore Road, Terminus Road, Langney Road.

· Changes to No Waiting At Any Time Except Taxis in Bolton Road, Langney Road

· Changes to Goods Vehicles Loading Only bays in Bolton Road, Langney Road, Terminus Road

· Changes to / Introduction of Disabled Persons Parking Places in Langney Road, Terminus Road, Lismore Road, Tideswell Road

· Removal of Pay and Display Parking Places, Monday to Saturday, 8am-6pm, maximum stay 20min, no return within 1 hour in Langney Road

· Changes to Permit Holders or Pay and Display Parking Places, Monday to Saturday, 8am-6pm, maximum stay 2 hours no return within 1 hour in Tideswell Road

· Introduction of Loading Bay, maximum stay 20min, in Langney Road

· Removal of One-Way Traffic in Bolton Road between Terminus Road and Lismore Road and Langney Road between Susans Road and Terminus Road

· Removal of No Right Turn in the following roads into Lismore Road from Bolton Road and into Langney Road from Susans Road

· Introduction of No Right Turn in the following road into Bolton Road from Lismore Road

2.8       A report outlining the objections received in relation to the TRO was presented to the County Council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday, 16th July 2025. The Committee resolved to not uphold objections to the draft order (not including the loading and unloading hours as it was proposed that an ETRO could be used to explore and test these proposals) and recommend to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport that the TRO be made in part, excluding the restrictions that are proposed to be introduced on an experimental basis.

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 September 2025, with final and post-construction works due to complete by August 2026, based on no risks being realised.

2.10     To support these timescales officers are seeking agreement to pilot the hours of access under an ETRO following the completion of construction, allowing assessment of optimal timings for local traders and residents. The ETRO will operate for at least 6 months, during which feedback will be collected to determine the suitability of the proposed access hours.

3.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

3.1       The Eastbourne Town Centre Movement and Access Package: Phase 2a scheme, has received substantial SELEP LGF funding 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 August 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 consultation a further report detailing any unresolved objections will be presented to the County Council’s Planning Committee for their consideration.

RUPERT CLUBB

Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

Contact Officer: Emma Oakman

Email:majorprojectsandgrowth@eastsussex.gov.uk

LOCAL MEMBERS

Councillors Stephen Holt and Brett Wright

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

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