Huge £7 million investment for Eastbourne cyclists and pedestrians

The town centre is to benefit from £3 million to pedestrianise the eastern part of the town’s retail area and improve street furniture, signage, soft landscaping and install new street lighting – and the other £4 million will go towards the Eastbourne and South Wealden Cycling and Walking scheme.

This will deliver six elements including:

• London Road – Battle Road – Hawkswood Road – Hailsham: improved footways and improved access onto the shared use path

• Cycle Parking Hailsham: provision of cycle parking for 36 bikes

• Stone Cross – Royal Parade via Langney – Eastbourne: improvements to shared use paths and cycle crossing provisions at busy junctions

• Cycle Parking Eastbourne: provision of cycle parking for 155 bikes

• Eastbourne town centre cycle routes: provision of both on road cycle routes and shared cycling and walking routes around Eastbourne town centre

• Eastbourne town centre wayfinding: installation of finger posts and monoliths around Eastbourne town centre.

The money come from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), which agreed to release £7m from its allocation of £570m of the Government’s Local Growth Funds to support two East Sussex projects at its February Accountability Board meeting.

The latest funding from SELEP will build on the work undertaken to relocate the bus station and change the layout around Terminus Road/Cornfield Road.

This will better integrate the bus and train station and support the extension of The Beacon shopping centre. The project is expected to be completed by June.