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Travel Log Lewes Newsletter www.travelloglewes.co.uk

EAST COUNCIL SENSATIONAL VOTE AGAINST BUS CUTS- BUT THEY MAY STILL HAPPEN

No bus cuts say council members

In a sensational vote at full council today, County Councilors voted against bus cuts. They voted for a motion which said:

“This council recommends that the cabinet reject the current proposals to significantly reduce the level of financial support that facilitates a number of bus services that operate to serve everyday life in an acceptable manner across many parts of East Sussex. Council appreciates the support from thousands of ordinary citizens, businesses, and those who through advancing years, infirmity and potential isolation, depend totally upon this level of financial support that allows for the provision of those services now under threat.”

Various amendments were proposed which would have diluted or nullified the motion but councillors were having none of it.

Lewes representative Ruth O’Keeffe summed up the mood when she said that there was only one motion she could vote for.

Council members spoke, often passionately, about the problems of loneliness and social isolation many of their most vulnerable residents faced. They were critical of the council for not applying for central government money that is available for bus services, and they pointed out that bus usage is rising across the county despite the lack of publicity.

Independent, Labour and 3 out of 4 Ukip council members present voted solidly against the cuts.

Once their amendment, which would have simply delayed consideration of the cuts, was defeated (What WERE they thinking about?) , Liberal Democrat members voted against cuts too.

Conservative members voted en-bloc for the cuts.

There was disappointment for a delegation of disabled people from . They came to lobby their UKIP council members about the Peacehaven taxibus service, which faces complete closure. But the Travelman understands that one council member failed to turn up and the other voted for the cuts

CABINET MEETING

With a full council meeting voting against cuts, in any democracy that would be the end of the matter, but East Sussex County Council operates a cabinet system. Final decisions are often taken not by a full council but by a small group of council members- the cabinet. All the cabinet members are conservatives as they are the largest single party, even though they do not have a majority on the council. This is grossly undemocratic. The cabinet should be bound by the decision of the full council.

The cabinet meets on Tuesday 16th December and the big red bus will be there again. The cabinet consists of:

Nick Bennett, [email protected] member for Hellingly East Hoathly and Alfriston (who says he believes in “better transport, better awareness…personal choice, particularly for vulnerable or isolated individuals”) Bill Bentley, [email protected] member for & (whose duties include services for vulnerable adults including older people, learning disability, physical disability, mental health and safer communities.) Chris Dowling [email protected] member for & Horam David Elkin, [email protected] member for Sovereign Keith Glazier, [email protected] member for Rye and East Rother Carl Maynard, [email protected] member for Brede Valley & Marsham Rupert Simmons, [email protected] member for Heathfield (who says that bus services are very important for Heathfield, particularly for young people) Sylvia Tidy, [email protected] Member for (who says that key issues in her area include reducing traffic speed, and stimulating retail activity as there are too many empty shops in the town)

None of these council members represents the area round Lewes and I fear that they may try to limit local criticism by saving buses in their area at the expense of places like Lewes and

WELL DONE TO ALL MY COMRADES IN THE LOVE YOUR BUS CAMPAIGN AND TO EVERYONE IN THE DON’T STOP THE BUS CAMPAIGN IN HASTINGS

Please Contact cabinet members to ask them to vote against the cuts. 1. Attend the lobby if you are able to. These will be at the entrance to , Lewes at 9.20 until 10 am on December 16th

The campaign will let you know how your councillor voted Details will be posted on http://lewesstopthecuts.wordpress.com/

NO STEALTH MOTORWAY BETWEEN LEWES AND !

As Travelman Predicted, this week saw a government announcement of millions to be spent on trying to get more cars on A27, A dual carriageway round Arundel, wrecking some lovely woodland, a route through Worthing, probably wrecking people’s homes and “improvements” between Lewes and Polegate are proposed.

Transport campaigner Dereck Coffee is cautiously optimistic about the Polegate-Lewes Improvements. In a press release on behalf of the Campaign for Better Transport he says:

“The rejection by the Department for Transport of a hugely damaging road scheme on a new alignment between Lewes and Polegate is welcomed. Founded on a very shaky evidence base, we are not surprised at all that it has been rejected in favour of safety and junction improvements, though we have yet to see the detail of those.

Following this announcement, we can say that some of the advantages are: • Protection from congestion of the town centre economy of Eastbourne; • Much better opportunities to develop higher value for money sustainable and healthy transport alternatives to the car on the A22 Hailsham – Polegate – Willingdon – Eastbourne ‘sustainable transport corridor’ – currently being developed by East Sussex County Council. This would have been wrecked by a new A27; • Consequent much needed focus on removal of local traffic doing short trips – the real and largely ignored factor; • Protection of a high quality environment – a key factor in choices made by businesses choosing where to locate; • Retaining the high quality environment of the eastern National Park which would have been degraded by a new road and the extra traffic pressures from car-borne tourists; • Offering great opportunities for rail service upgrades on the east coastway between Ashford and where new signalling is about to be ‘switched on’; • NOT investing in car based commuting. • Cleaner air

The West Sussex scheme at Arundel gives great cause for concern, riding over concerns of many local people, and places doubt over the status of the National Park, the setting of the castle and valued woodland, while the Worthing scheme glosses over the role that local public transport and reorganized parking schemes could play in solving problems.

The main flaws remain, that the labelling of the studies as the ‘A27 Corridor’ created an impression of massive –east-west movement when all along the real issue is a failure to offer decent alternatives for the overwhelming number of local journeys. This was a road study, not a transport study. That’s very old fashioned and ultimately very costly to economies, public health, high quality historic town centres and our outstanding natural resources including the National Park – an irreplaceable economic, tourism and recreational asset.”

Travelman hopes he is right, but still recommends that you join the SOUTH COAST ALLIANCE FOR TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT – SCATE.

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