Marine Parade bus lane
As part of our work to speed up bus journey times and to reduce congestion we’re planning to install a new bus lane on Marine Parade in early 2025.
More information
In 2022, the council was awarded £28 million by the Department for Transport for our Bus Service Improvement Plan. The money is being used to improve bus services and provide lower fares across the city.
Some of the funding has been provided to speed up buses. This includes a new bus lane on the westbound side of Marine Parade between the junctions of Lower Rock Gardens and the Sea Life Centre. As this part of the road is very wide, there wouldn’t be any need to reduce the number of traffic lanes.
The bus lane would operate 24 hours a day and could also be used by taxis and cyclists. It would be installed under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). This means, if necessary, we can make changes for up to 18 months before a decision is made on whether or not to make the bus lane permanent.
For frequently asked questions and a link to a more detailed plan please see Phase 1 Information below.
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Phases
Consultation outcome
Thank you for participating in our consultation on the Marine Parade Bus Lane.
The consultation received 895 responses from residents and stakeholders.
- Around 50% of all comments on bus travel stated that the bus lane should be made longer. In addition to this about a third also thought that the proposed bus lane would speed up journeys.
- Highest numbers of comments about the pedestrian environment were centered around concerns about the removal of the pedestrian island.
- Highest numbers of comments about cycling raised concerns about not including a segregated cycle lane and safety for cyclists, although many respondents thought that this proposal would increase safety for cyclists.
- Some responses questioned why the funding couldn’t be spent on repairing roads.
Having reviewed the comments and feedback, council officers were able to review and make changes to the design:
- Keep the pedestrian refuge crossing on Marine Parade east of its junction with Camelford Street.
- The funding is specifically for the bus lane in this location, but some resurfacing will be completed at the same time where required.
On cycling, the shared bus lane is intended to provide some benefit in the medium term by providing space for westbound cyclists away from other traffic. There remains an aspiration to provide a two-way higher quality cycle facility in the council’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan; however, funding is not currently available for this.
The project has now been approved and officers are working to procure a contractor, we anticipate this work will start early in 2025.
The bus lane will be implemented under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). The statutory public consultation period for this will run for the first six months after installation, with feedback taken into account when considering the future of the bus lane. A link to the ETRO will be included after the construction phase. For any questions, please email transport.projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk