Campaigners "won't give up" as councillors urged to re-think Hove red route plans
A scrutiny meeting is taking place today over plans to ban stopping on Western Road
Campaigners say they "won't give up" protesting a red route in Hove - as councillors are urged to re-think pushing forward with it.
A scrutiny meeting is taking place today (6th October) after councillors raised concerns over evidence used to support banning stopping along Western Road.
It follows worries that businesses would lose footfall and struggle to receive deliveries if its put in place - with grounds for the meeting also mentioning a consulation summary not including their comments.
Catherine Lane, whose been leading a campaign against it, said the meeting will decide their next steps:
"If it takes one year, months, years, we're carrying on and we're going to get louder and louder and louder because we have too much to lose," she told Greatest Hits Radio.
"We have a street that's existed as a shopping street for 200 years that now is at threat.
"And these are real people's jobs, they're their livelihoods, they're our way of life and we love it.
"So we're not giving up the fight. We'll get louder and louder and louder and we'll be peaceful and we'll be lawful, but we're not stopping."
Plans for the red route were put forward to address longstanding concerns over unsafe parking, congestion, and bus times.
“We’ve seen the positive results Red Routes have delivered elsewhere in the city, improving traffic flow and bus reliability," Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, explained.
"If approved, we’ll also introduce this scheme under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, meaning we can monitor its impact in real-world conditions and make changes where needed.
“We’ve listened carefully to feedback from residents, businesses and accessibility groups throughout the development of these proposals, and those conversations will continue.
"The experimental process gives us the opportunity to keep listening, gather evidence and refine the scheme over time to ensure it works as effectively as possible for the whole community.”