Improvements around Brighton Station

[8ace]

The absolute OPPOSITE of this.

The congestion in that area is apalling in the evenings as it is. What with taxis completely blocking the road trying to get into the station, all it needs is four buses stopped where you suggest and the whole area becomes totally gridlocked. Believe me, I've seen it on numerous occasions.

Many times the 81 can't even get to those stops where it is supposed to stop as there are regularly 3 or 4 number 12 or 14's just sat there for about 20 minutes before they are due to leave. I've often had to risk sticking my neck out to stop the 81 as it sails past as there is no room for it to stop.

The biggest problem of all is the taxi rank. With only one entrance you get cabbies blocking the roads coming down the hill at the side of the station, Queens Road coming straight into the station, and those coming round from Syndey Street as well.

It needs a new extra taxi rank round the back, and whoever is in charge of buses (is it still Roger French?) to ban buses from the area until no more than 5 minutes before they are due to leave.

This isn't the fault of the buses, it's the fault of the cars and taxis - they can f*** off.

 

[honey boy zimba]

It needs to be pedestrianised and a tram system put in, would be great ,but will no doubt end up with more sex shops and brothels .

 

[pasty]

This isn't the fault of the buses, it's the fault of the cars and taxis - they can f*** off.

Is is when four buses are parked there, nine times out of ten whilst the drivers have buggered off, and they're not due to leave for about 20 minutes. I know and agree that the taxis exacerbate the problem, but if the waiting buses weren't there, at least ones that are scheduled to stop there could do so.

 

[salty seagull]

Just because you are blind to the shittiness, it doesn't follow everyone else is. The outside of the station is a shit-hole, and you seemingly are happy to keep it that way.

So that's nice.

I am not blind to it,but if I`m honest I don`t really give a shit.I`m sorry if this upsets you,you sensitive little soul.Have you seen the thousands of tourists that pour into this city every weekend in the summer?They seem quite happy to visit and I`m not sure we need to attract any more.At a time when councils are supposedly short of money,i think funds may be better spent elsewhere.Excuse me whilst I happily get on with the important things in life and leave you to worry about this.

 

[8ace]

Is is when four buses are parked there, nine times out of ten whilst the drivers have buggered off, and they're not due to leave for about 20 minutes. I know and agree that the taxis exacerbate the problem, but if the waiting buses weren't there, at least ones that are scheduled to stop there could do so.

I agree with you, it's wrong for buses to wait there for ages at peak times patsy. Someone who knows more about that than me should be able to solve that problem. The main point is that transport links at the station should favour buses then taxis then cars.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

It needs to be pedestrianised and a tram system put in, would be great ,but will no doubt end up with more sex shops and brothels .

You say that like it's a bad thing!

Is that what they mean by a bus 'lay over'?

 

[Brovion]

We're running up against the problem that we had when we were looking for somewhere to put the stadium - lack of space. I've been to Lime Street and Sheffield stations recently and as has been mentioned they are now fantastic gateways, but they did have a lot of 19th century industrial shit that they could clear out of the way. In cramped Brighton there is a TINY space that has to cope with buses, taxis, bikes and pedestrians, and the station, like at Liverpool and Sheffield, is also on a road that is still used as a thoroughfare for traffic.

The radical (and prohibitively expensive) solution if you want a nice 'gateway' with lots of space is to clear away that block of buildings in front of the station that acts as giant roundabout, yes, including the Evening Star. Given the current space constraints every 'improvement' that's been mentioned will mean making something else worse.

And I know I'm in a minority when I say that I don't think it's that bad. When you come out of the station you get an immediate impression of what Brighton is like - a busy city. For me the worst thing isn't the competition for space but the fact that it's always dirty and litter-strewn. My own solution would be to forget any tinkering schemes, just have an increased resolution to keep the current infrastructure and layout clean and well-maintained.

 

[Vicar!]

The radical (and prohibitively expensive) solution if you want a nice 'gateway' with lots of space is to clear away that block of buildings in front of the station that acts as giant roundabout, yes, including the Evening Star. Given the current space constraints every 'improvement' that's been mentioned will mean making something else worse.

Er No!

 

[kip]

There's an old Taxi run (now blocked up) that runs from Trafalgar Street up to the platforms. Maybe this could be opened up and widened?

I think, when it comes to things like main stations - you need to put function over form. People want to access / exit the station with the minimum of fuss so transport options need to be given priority rather than any fancy 'public realm' improvements. No one goes to Brighton Station to sit on a bench.

It may not improve the look & feel of the air but, in reality, who really cares - If you want a Taxi, you want to find them quickly and the same goes for buses.

We've been here before with that 'Ocean Boulevard' concept a few years ago. That never happened so it should just be kept simple this time imo

The old taxi road was looked at but it would never happen because of health and safety. It was designed for the horse and cart and modern cars can't make the turn in the tunnel. They also will not allow cars on the old cab road between platforms 7 and 8 because Brighton is category A terrorism target.

 

[The Large One]

I am not blind to it,but if I`m honest I don`t really give a shit.I`m sorry if this upsets you,you sensitive little soul.Have you seen the thousands of tourists that pour into this city every weekend in the summer?They seem quite happy to visit and I`m not sure we need to attract any more.At a time when councils are supposedly short of money,i think funds may be better spent elsewhere.Excuse me whilst I happily get on with the important things in life and leave you to worry about this.

You're missing the point by a long way.

The station area isn't just something you go past on the way to somewhere else, it needs to be an area that people go to - not just the front, but the area around the side (accessed by Trafalgar Street). From there, a better, more welcoming area creates jobs, extra revenue and a nicer environment by businesses opening and people actually coming in.

You think funds should not be spent on improving the city? Good grief.

Sadly, something this simple does appear to be beyond you. The one thing I don't understand is, if you don't give a shit, what are you doing on here? Apart from attention-seeking by shouting your mouth off far too often that you don't give a shit?

 

[Return of the Rev]

The whole zone is a dump. Littered with taxis, buses, cigarette butts, litter and so on. The tunnel is dull and damp. The shops at the top of Queens Road are grim, ugly facades.

I would be minded to turn around and get back on the train if I sauntered out of the station for the very first time. A horrendous welcoming to visitors. Once you get past the graveyard, it is a little bit more acceptable, but certainly not a vast improvement.

I'd definitely prefer to have taxis at the rear of the station, but of course that is not going to work with much congestion round the back anyway.

Try taking passengers round the back when you have picked from the seafront! oooh eeer that sounded wrong

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

We're running up against the problem that we had when we were looking for somewhere to put the stadium - lack of space. I've been to Lime Street and Sheffield stations recently and as has been mentioned they are now fantastic gateways, but they did have a lot of 19th century industrial shit that they could clear out of the way. In cramped Brighton there is a TINY space that has to cope with buses, taxis, bikes and pedestrians, and the station, like at Liverpool and Sheffield, is also on a road that is still used as a thoroughfare for traffic.

The radical (and prohibitively expensive) solution if you want a nice 'gateway' with lots of space is to clear away that block of buildings in front of the station that acts as giant roundabout, yes, including the Evening Star. Given the current space constraints every 'improvement' that's been mentioned will mean making something else worse.

And I know I'm in a minority when I say that I don't think it's that bad. When you come out of the station you get an immediate impression of what Brighton is like - a busy city. For me the worst thing isn't the competition for space but the fact that it's always dirty and litter-strewn. My own solution would be to forget any tinkering schemes, just have an increased resolution to keep the current infrastructure and layout clean and well-maintained.

Blimey. Exactly right in every particular. That's saved me writing my own reply.

 

[8ace]

The radical (and prohibitively expensive) solution if you want a nice 'gateway' with lots of space is to clear away that block of buildings in front of the station that acts as giant roundabout, yes, including the Evening Star. Given the current space constraints every 'improvement' that's been mentioned will mean making something else worse.

I like this idea.

 

[salty seagull]

You're missing the point by a long way.

The station area isn't just something you go past on the way to somewhere else, it needs to be an area that people go to - not just the front, but the area around the side (accessed by Trafalgar Street). From there, a better, more welcoming area creates jobs, extra revenue and a nicer environment by businesses opening and people actually coming in.

You think funds should not be spent on improving the city? Good grief.

Sadly, something this simple does appear to be beyond you. The one thing I don't understand is, if you don't give a shit, what are you doing on here? Apart from attention-seeking by shouting your mouth off far too often that you don't give a shit?

If you post on here,you are obviously seeking attention or what would be the point.You have 40,750 posts!! That would lead me to believe that this is probably your only source of attention,you sad ****.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'd get rid of the taxis, put them around the back, and have a huge canopied public space out the front. I'd also open up the Trafalger Road entrance again.

The taxis really piss me off. They are a constant hazard for pedestrians as they fight to get into the clogged up tiny rank and belch fumes into the canopied area. Nice welcome when you arrive eh? It does not work, simply.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If you post on here,you are obviously seeking attention or what would be the point

To engage in discussion perhaps?

 

[Hotchilidog]

For me the main problem with the station area is the top of Queens Road, it is way to shabby. It really doesn't matter what they do to the station concourse itself if you are still confronted with that same run of dull lifeless buildings. I think the vision for the Ocean Boulevard (which was being talked about before I bloody lived here many moons ago!) needs to play a part in any improvement for it to be effective.

I'll be very interested to see what come out of this consultation/planning process it could be pretty exciting.

 

[The Large One]

I'd get rid of the taxis, put them around the back, and have a huge canopied public space out the front. I'd also open up the Trafalger Road entrance again.

The taxis really piss me off. They are a constant hazard for pedestrians as they fight to get into the clogged up tiny rank and belch fumes into the canopied area. Nice welcome when you arrive eh? It does not work, simply.

This.

Stick a big fresh food market where the taxi rank currently is.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Seems to me that there needs to be major taxi rank at the station, preferably tucked round the back by Jury's Inn. Realistically how many overseas visitors or two week tourists are going to arrive off a train from the airport then lug their luggage through the streets to their hotel? I'd suggest practically none. So they need taxis. As do folk arriving off late night trains. Everybody's capable of following signs to the taxi rank, it doesn't need to be slap bang out the front of the station. Stick it round the back. At the same time, day trippers/shoppers just want to walk down the hill to Churchill Square or the sea. Their way should be made as pleasant and straightforward as possible, and shouldn't have to involve crossing three sets of traffic flow coming at them from all directions. Not too sure of the need for many buses to use the station as a convenient parking spot. And the private car, as always, can f*** right off.

 

[Brovion]

This.

Stick a big fresh food market where the taxi rank currently is.

Jeez no! The station is a transport hub and is cramped enough with all the people using all the different means to get on and off trains. The LAST thing we want is to waste precious space with a sodding market! It will also make the situation worse by generating its own traffic what with stallholders, deliveries, customers etc. By all means shove the taxis round the back (if feasable) and turn the taxi area into more cycle racks, but NOT a market!

You see, this is why you Greens shouldn't even be in charge of running a whelk stall let alone a city!