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  7. 4. Investment priorities
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4. Investment priorities

Introduction

In order to support the delivery of the four thematic ambitions of the fourth East Sussex Local Transport Plan (LTP4), this section firstly sets out identified priorities or the types of priorities (scheme(s) that East Sussex County Council and their partners will seek funding for to enable these to be studied, developed and delivered over the life of the plan).

Secondly, a list of priorities is presented showing those that the County Council and their partners seek to study, develop and/or deliver in the short-term (over the next five years to 2030).

The potential list of investment priorities outlined in this plan are not exhaustive. As LTP4 is a live document, other investment priorities will and are likely to emerge and be supported through the development and delivery process as appropriate.

Investment priorities detailed within this section are intentionally presented as a high-level overview. It is important to note that as these investment priorities progress through the study, develop and deliver stages the level of available detail will increase, priorities will become more defined through the consideration of options, and a preferred and deliverable option confirmed.

Where appropriate priorities signpost to modal strategies and other locations where further information on scheme types are outlined these include, and are not limited to, the following:

In their role of co-ordination for the delivery of LTP4, the County Council will maintain a schedule of identified investment priorities and those being progressed through the study, develop and deliver stages. These schedules will be updated in collaboration with key LTP4 development and delivery partners and summarised within future LTP4 monitoring reports.

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Types of priority investment

Different investment areas are presented within three broad groups based on the geography types identified in the Local Transport Plan strategy. These groups are:

  • Strategic priorities – typically geography types 1 (regional long distance) and 2 (moving east-west along the coast). Schemes in this group are primarily intended to facilitate and improve longer distance journeys (i.e. those across the length of the county (north-south or east-west) or those which cross the local authority border as part of a regional trip.

    The modal focus of strategic priorities is towards highway (car, van, freight) and rail trips, along with longer distance trips undertaken by people walking, wheeling and cycling and using Public Transport. Key partners will include East Sussex County Council, district and borough councils, National Highways and neighbouring local authorities.
  • Local priorities – typically geography types 3 (urban coastal) and 4 (rural and local centres). Schemes in this group are seeking to facilitate and improve shorter trips within a community, town/village or between neighbouring towns/villages.

    Investment priorities here are those within local communities, either to support the efficient movement of transport or to provide new and improved connectivity between residential areas and places people need or want to access. The modal focus of local priorities is towards walking, wheeling, cycling trips and using public transport trips. These priorities are also likely to have a larger emphasis on creating a sense of place. Key partners will include East Sussex County Council, district and borough councils, and bus operators.
  • Cross cutting priorities – these schemes and interventions straddle both strategic and local priorities, typically covering one or both of geography type 1 and 2, and one or both of geography types 3 and 4. Accordingly, these schemes / interventions facilitate and improve both longer and shorter distance trips.

    The modal focus of these cross-cutting priorities is across all modes and will ensure consistency in the approaches to the delivery of interventions or initiatives. Key partners will include East Sussex County Council, district and borough councils, National Highways, Network Rail, bus and train operators and local communities.
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Strategic priorities

Walking, wheeling and cycling

SP01: Strategic priorities – walking, wheeling and cycling

Potential investment
  • A21 Hastings to Tunbridge Wells
  • A259 Eastbourne to Hastings
  • Avenue Verte (London to Paris via Newhaven) alternative route
  • Crowborough to Tunbridge Wells
  • Hastings to Ashford
  • National Cycle Network (NCN) 90 Hailsham/Polegate to Brighton
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short- and medium-term
  • Deliver - Short- and medium-term
Key partners

Leads

  • Active Travel England
  • Sustrans
  • East Sussex County Council

 Supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
  • Neighbouring local authorities
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
Further information

Highway

SP02: Strategic Priorities - Highway

Potential investment
  • A21 Flimwell and Hurst Green Improvements
  • A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst
  • A21 Safety enhancements
  • A22 Maresfield to East Grinstead
  • A22 Hailsham to Uckfield
  • A22 Uckfield bypass improvements
  • A26 Newhaven to Lewes
  • A27 Falmer Junction enhancements
  • A27 Lewes to Polegate
  • A259 East of Rye (level crossing removal)
  • A259 Eastbourne to Brighton
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-, medium- and long-term
  • Develop – Short-, medium- and long-term
  • Deliver – Short-, medium- and long-term
Key partners

Leads

  • National Highways (strategic road network)
  • East Sussex County Council (major and local road network)

 Supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
  • Neighbouring local authorities
  • South Downs National Park
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information
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Local priorities

Walking, wheeling, cycling

LP01: Local priorities – Walking, wheeling, cycling

Potential investment
  • Enhancements in and around Battle
  • Enhancements in and around Bexhill
  • Enhancements in and around Eastbourne
  • Enhancements in and around Hastings
  • Enhancements in and around Lewes
  • Enhancements in and around Peacehaven, Newhaven and Seaford
  • Enhancements in and around Rye
  • Enhancements in and around the South Downs
  • Accessing the Cuckoo Trail
  • Review rights of way, bridleways
  • Rural quiet lanes
  • Enhancing active connectivity between Uckfield and Heathfield
Development timescales
  • Study – Short- and medium-term
  • Develop – Short-, medium- and long-term
  • Deliver – Short-, medium- and long-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • District & borough councils
  • East Sussex County Council
  • South Downs National Park Authority
  • Sustrans
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
Further information

Multimodal

LP02: Local Priorities – multimodal

Potential investment
  • A259 Peacehaven-Newhaven-Seaford corridor
  • Area based traffic management schemes
  • Redesign of road space
  • Review of active travel crossings
  • Review of speed limits
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-, medium-term
  • Develop – Short-, medium-term
  • Deliver - Short-, medium- and long-term
Key partners

Leads

  • East Sussex County Council

 Supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Public transport

LP03: Local Priorities – Bus

Potential investment
  • Bus service enhancements
  • Bus priority measures
  • Dynamic and demand responsive travel
Development timescales
  • Study – Complete (regularly review)
  • Develop – Complete (regularly review)
  • Deliver – Complete (regularly review)
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • Bus operators
  • Community transport operators
  • East Sussex County Council
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

LP04: Bus service funding

Potential investment
  • Financial support (subsidies) for transport operators
Development timescales
  • Study – Completed
  • Develop – Ongoing (regularly review)
  • Deliver – Ongoing (regularly review
Key partners

Leads

  • Bus operators
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Others who provide funding to bus services

 Supporting partners

  • District & borough councils
  • South Downs National Park Authority
  • Town and parish councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

LP05: Supporting lower public transport fares

Potential investment
  • Lower fares for passengers
Development timescales
  • Study – Completed
  • Develop – Ongoing (regularly review)
  • Deliver – Ongoing (regularly review)
Key partners

Leads

  • National government
  • Bus operators
  • East Sussex County Council

 Supporting partners

  • Rail operators (passenger)
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Integrated transport

LP06: Integrated transport opportunities

Potential investment
  • Car clubs
  • Community hubs
  • Customer experience improvements at travel interchanges / mobility hubs
  • Cycle, e-cycle, scooter and e-scooter hire schemes
  • Cycle parking and hubs
  • Integrated public transport timetables, fares and ticketing
  • Mobility as a service initiative
  • Park and Ride
  • Travel interchanges / mobility hubs
Development timescales
  • Study -Short- and medium-term
  • Develop – Short- and medium-term
  • Deliver - Short- and medium-term
Key partners

Leads

  • Bus operators
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Network Rail
  • Rail operators (passenger and freight)

Supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
  • South Downs National Park Authority
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Integrated and accessible transport
Further information

Future mobility

LP07: Future Mobility schemes

Potential investment
  • Ensuring future mobility is accessible to everyone
  • Future mobility initiatives
Development timescales
  • Study -Short-, medium- and long-term
  • Develop – Short-, medium- and long-term
  • Deliver - Short-, medium- and long-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • East Sussex County Council
  • District and borough councils
  • Other partners as required
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Streetscapes and public realm

LP08: Streetscapes and public realm

Potential investment
  • Public spaces and placemaking
  • Streetscape and public realm improvements
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop –Short- and medium-term
  • Deliver - Short- and medium-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
  • East Sussex County Council
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
Further information

Highway

LP09: Local Priorities - Highway

Potential investment
  • A22/A2290 Eastbourne Package
  • A2101 Corridor Package (Hastings)
  • A2270 Corridor Package (Eastbourne)
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-and medium-term
  • Develop – Short-and medium-term
  • Deliver – Short- and medium term
Key partners

Leads

  • East Sussex County Council

 Supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Maintenance

LP10: Assets – planning maintenance and renewal

Potential investment
  • Asset management plans by East Sussex County Council
  • Asset Management plans by National Highways
  • Asset Management (Maintenance and Renewals) plans by Network Rail
  • Asset Management plans by Sustrans
  • Asset Management plans by local borough and district councils (eg promenades, off-highway walking and cycle routes – Cuckoo Trail etc)
Development timescales
  • Study -Short-term (regularly review)
  • Develop – Short-term (regularly review)
  • Deliver – Short-term (regularly review)
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • East Sussex County Council
  • National Highways
  • Network Rail
  • Sustrans
  • District and borough councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected

Parking

LP11: Parking and access

Potential investment
  • Dynamic parking tariffs
  • Emissions based vehicle access and parking
  • Managing off-street parking supply
  • Managing on-street parking supply
  • Parking enforcement
  • Reassessment of parking requirements (new developments)
  • Reassessment of resident parking zones
  • Workplace parking levy
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term (regularly review)
  • Develop – Short-term (regularly review)
  • Deliver - Short-term (regularly review)
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • East Sussex County Council
  • District and borough councils
  • Private car park operators
  • Developers
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel

Travel behaviour

LP12: Travel behaviour

Potential investment
  • Travel behaviour change and training programmes
  • Travel plans
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short-term (regularly review)
  • Deliver - Short-term (regularly review)
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • East Sussex County Council
  • District and borough councils
  • Developers

 Supporting partners

  • Organisations such as Sustrans, Living Streets
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
Further information

Local planning

LP13: Local Planning

Potential investment
  • Freight consolidation centres
  • Integrated transport and spatial planning
  • Local plans to allocated sites for freight consolidation
  • Sustainable last mile movement
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short-term
  • Deliver - Short-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
  • Developers
  • Development site operators
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Freight operators
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Digital

LP14: Digital

Potential investment
  • Digital connectivity for rural and urban communities
  • Optimisation operations (rail and highways)
  • Passenger experience – real time information, wifi, mobility as a service
  • Traffic flow optimisation
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short-term
  • Deliver – Short-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • Bus operators
  • District and borough Councils
  • East Sussex County Council
  • National Highways
  • Network Rail
  • Train operators (passenger)
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Logistics

LP15: Logistics (deliveries and servicing)

Potential investment
  • Construction and logistics plans
  • Delivery and serving plan
  • Sustainable last mile movement
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short-term
  • Deliver - Short-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • Developers
  • Development site operators
  • East Sussex County Council
  • District and borough councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information
  • Freight Strategy
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Cross-cutting priorities

Accessible and inclusive

CP01: Making transport accessible and inclusive

Potential investment
  • Making railway stations accessible
  • Transport accessibility and inclusion
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short- and medium-term
  • Deliver - Short-term and medium- and long-term
Key partners

Leads

  • Network Rail
  • Rail operators (passenger)
  • Bus operators
  • East Sussex County Council

 Supporting partners

  • South Downs National Park Authority
  • National Highways
  • District and borough councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

CP02: Signage and wayfinding

Potential investment
  • Signage and wayfinding
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short-term
  • Deliver – Short-term
Key partners

Leads

  • District and borough councils
  • East Sussex County Council
  • South Downs National Park
  • Network Rail

 Supporting partners

  • National Highways
  • Bus Operators
  • Rail Operators (passenger and freight)
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
Further information

Rail

CP03: Strategic and local journeys– Rail

Potential investment
  • Direct rail services from Seaford/Newhaven to London
  • Faster journeys – Brighton to Eastbourne
  • Faster journeys – Hastings to Eastbourne
  • High Speed 1 to Eastbourne (via Ashford International and Rye, Hastings and Bexhill)
  • Ore to Ashford International (via Rye) electrification
  • Spa Valley Line modern railway operations
  • Uckfield to Hurst Green (Surrey) electrification
  • Uckfield to Lewes line reopening
Development timescales
  • Study – Short- and medium-term
  • Develop – Short- and medium-term
  • Deliver – Medium- and long-term
Key partners

Leads

  • Network Rail
  • Rail operators (passenger)

 Supporting partners

  • East Sussex County Council
  • District and borough councils
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Fuels and air quality

CP04: Fuels and air quality

Potential investment
  • Air quality management
  • Alternatives fuels (eg hydrogen)
  • Investment in and roll out of e-mobility (eg e-bikes)
  • Zero-emission buses
  • Zero-emission railways
Development timescales
  • Study – Short-term
  • Develop – Short-term
  • Deliver – Short-term
Key partners

Leads / Supporting partners

  • Bus operators
  • District and borough councils
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Rail operators (passenger and freight)
  • Train leasing companies
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

CP05: Electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Potential investment
  • Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure
Development timescales
  • Develop – short term
  • Deliver – short to long-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting partners

  • District and borough councils
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Government – Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)
  • Other partners – private sector car park operators, Network Rail
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Multimodal (freight)

CP06: Multimodal opportunities (freight)

Potential investment
  • Freight facilities at Newhaven
  • Newhaven Port rail freight upgrades
Development timescales
  • Study – short- to medium-term
  • Develop – short- to medium-term
  • Deliver - short- to medium-term
Key partners

Leads / supporting Partners

  • Freight companies
  • Freight organisations
  • National Highways
  • Network Rail
  • Newhaven Port Authority
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
Applicable theme(s)
  • Keeping East Sussex connected
Further information

Autonomous vehicles

CP07: Autonomous vehicles

Potential investment
  • Connected and autonomous vehicles
Development timescales
  • Study – short-term
  • Develop – Medium-term
  • Deliver – Medium- to long-term
Key partners

Leads

  • National government
  • Freight operators

 Supporting partners

  • Transport for the South East
  • East Sussex County Council
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
  • Integrated and accessible transport

Road pricing

CP08: Road pricing

Potential investment
  • National road pricing
Development timescales
  • Study – Medium- to long-term
  • Develop – Medium- to long-term
  • Deliver - Medium- to long-term
Key partners

Leads

  • National government

 Supporting partners

  • Transport for the South East
Applicable geography type(s)
  • Regional long distance
  • Moving east-west along the coast
  • Urban coastal
  • Rural and local centres
Applicable theme(s)
  • Tackling climate change and enhancing our local environment
  • Safer, healthier and more active travel
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