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Consultation results

gra images of types of transportation, red car, blue bus, orange truck, purple cyclist, green pedestrian
Uckfield traffic improvements

We asked for your views about our plans to improve traffic flow in Uckfield.

This consultation closed on Monday 23 April 2012.

Consultation results

We received 572 responses to the consultation. A summary of the results shows preferences for,

  • Option B, car parking – 51%
  • Option D, Southern road – 37%
  • Option A, Smarter Choices – 33%
  • Option C, Northern road – 23%

Full details are available in this report,

Background information

Uckfield town centre already suffers from congestion and with more housing being built, traffic will only increase. To keep Uckfield as a vibrant and flourishing town we need to take action now.

There are a number of things we could do, which are set out below. Each option could be introduced on its own or together with one or more of the other proposals.

  • Option A – Smarter Choices (making different travel choices)
  • Option B – Providing more parking spaces
  • Option C – Northern road
  • Option D – Southern road

Our proposals

Option A – ‘Smarter Choices’ – making different travel choices

Travelling by car is easy, but contributes to congestion and pollution. Congestion makes journeys slower and raises the cost of transporting goods. Buildings, plants and wildlife are all affected by increased vibration, noise and exhaust fumes.

To help people make ‘Smarter Choices’, we could introduce changes in Uckfield such as:

  • making it easier to walk and cycle, by improving pavements and cycle routes
  • encouraging car sharing and introducing car clubs
  • improving facilities for bus users, with better bus stops, real-time information and more buses on rural routes

Smarter Choices could reduce car journeys by between 1% and 3%. It would not solve all the congestion problems, but could be combined with any of the other options. The cost of this option would be about £3 million.

Option B – Providing more parking spaces

Most parking in Uckfield is at the northern end of the town, which means travelling through the town centre in order to park.

There is an opportunity to build a new car park with 130 spaces at the southern end of the town, on land near the station. This would reduce congestion in the town centre, and:

  • reduce traffic at the junction of Bell Farm Lane and the High Street
  • provide parking near the railway station
  • reduce on-street parking

A new car park on this site would not solve congestion issues alone. It would also have an impact upon the flood plain and may attract more traffic to the town. The cost of this option would be about £1 million to £2 million.

Option C – Northern road

A road between the traffic lights in Bell Farm Lane to the centre of the High Street. The route is yet to be decided and would be subject to discussions with landowners.

This road would be sympathetically designed and pleasant for cyclists and pedestrians as well as encouraging low vehicle speeds. This option would:

  • reduce traffic at the junction of Bell Farm Lane and the High Street
  • reduce traffic through the High Street
  • provide pedestrian crossings at all junctions
  • allow technology to prioritise buses at key junctions
  • have less impact on the flood plain than other options

This option could have an impact on Holy Cross School, Tesco, High Street properties at Civic Way junction and Luxford Field. The cost of this option would be about £5 million to £8 million.

Option D – Southern road

  • Phase 1 – a road from Bell Farm Lane roundabout travelling south with a bridge over the river
  • Phase 2 – a road that bridges both the river and the railway

Both phases would link into the southern end of the High Street. The High Street between River Way and Mill Lane is shown as being closed to traffic but open to cyclists and pedestrians, but could be left open for traffic under Phase 1. The High Street would have to be closed to traffic if the railway line was reinstated.

Network Rail’s study said that there is currently no business case to reinstate the Lewes to Uckfield railway line. However, if this changes, Phase 2 would bridge the railway line. The location of our proposed Phase 2 bridge is very similar to the one in the

This option would:

  • reduce traffic at the junction of Bell Farm Lane and the High Street
  • allow better pedestrian facilities in the High Street
  • have no impact upon Holy Cross School and Luxford Field

This option would have an impact on the flood plain, pub, petrol station, shops, parking, access to Waitrose. There would also be environmental and visual impact.

Phase 1 would cost around £5 million to £8 million. Phase 2 would cost around £15 million to £20 million.

View maps of Option D – Southern road:

Who could take part?

We asked for the views of everyone, particularly those who live or work in, or travel through Uckfield.

Background information

In November 2010, we carried out traffic surveys in an area that included the town and the bypass. The results showed that changes need to be made to accommodate both existing traffic and future growth. See our page, 

What happens next

The outcome of this consultation and the action plan for the next steps were considered at the meeting of the Lead Member for Transport and Environment – December 2012.

Enquiries

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Transport Development Control:

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