Lunacy of the town that turned Green

[symyjym]

Apologies for not providing the 'fair enough' you hoped for but a) I had gone to the pub by then and b) an ice rink or ten pin bowling alley would not generate sufficient income to finance a state of the art leisure facility - after all that was why we were told we had to have the Frank Gehry monstrosity with 850 flats on the KA site to pay for a 25million quid sports centre!!

An ice rink makes a profit of £0.5m a year so by itself it wouldn't cover a new state of the art leisure centre, but there is a bigger picture if peoples minds are tuned into it. In the meantime whilst the site remains derelict and will do for many years, it is generating zero income and not fulfilling its sporting potential.

For what it is worth the current policy is 450 residential units a 25m pool and paddling pool, no diving facilities. Even with the current plan the only aim is to build a token gesture leisure centre, and not one of international sports recognition. Anyway the council fails short of sporting inspiration and the site is wasted with a lack of imagination.

 

[Woodchip]

Seven Dials was incepted long ago and the public demanded that the tree was saved. I'd say a council listening to the tax payers was a progressive one.

The new roundabout is much better from my experience.

There's a new roundabout at Seven Dials?

 

[Machiavelli]

I don't live in Brighton, however visit family on a weekly basis, and would make the following impartial comments based on my observations.

Seven Dials is a great improvement, certainly for motorists. Can't comment for pedestrians.

The work carried out at The Level is again, a great improvement.

The 20 mph speed limits are a pain, but I do understand the policy in a way, particularly in streets with parked cars on both sides of the road.

There seem to be less independent shops compared to 20 years ago. I could be wrong.

Lewes road and London road still need major investment, and general improvement.

The rubbish collection and recycling policies are poor.

Parking is very expensive, as is public transport.

The streets are dirty

Cycle lanes are in principle a good idea, however either extend them city wide, or abandon them. At the moment it's a bit half hearted.

Still love visiting the City, but glad I don't live there.

Along with Guinness Boy, I think this is a good and fair analysis.
RE cycle lanes: ever heard of the phrase, Rome wasn't built in a day. It certainly wasn't built in a climate of austerity. Cycle lanes are a long-term project, and necessary on so many levels. I'm sure some bores will want to dispute this, but they need to activate their brains.

 

[portslade seagull]

Ok I will answer your 2) & 3)

2. Explain to us all where the finance is coming from for a 'state of the art leisure centre' because, unless you haven't noticed, the council sure has hell hasn't got it?!

First off a little imagination would do. Maybe generate another sporting activity above the unused old tenpin bowling area at the King Alfred would be a good idea whilst the future of the site remains uncertain. It will be like it is for at least the next six years.

An ice rink was a good idea to put forward to the Greens at no cost to the city. Umm like http://kingalfredicerink.co.uk/

Ice rinks make £0.5m profit a year by the way.

Maybe see if an ice rink would work in the city and include it in the King Alfred specs if a temporary one was proves a success whilst the future of the site is unknown.

3. As for your earlier post about the Greens 'failure' over the King Alfred they have been in 'power' (and lets bear in mind they are a minority administration!) for nearly three years - what have the Tory/ Labour parties who had been in power for DECADES achieve on the site? We all know the answer, don't we!!

From what I can make out they didn't like the ice rink project and they didn't even want to invite or acknowledge a proposal despite the hard work that went into it and would have been at no cost to themselves

But what are they most interested in? the bloody i360.

You forgot underused cycle lanes as well which then congest the single lane then available for cars and unenforceable 20mph speed limits everywhere as well

 

[dejavuatbtn]

You forgot underused cycle lanes as well which then congest the single lane then available for cars and unenforceable 20mph speed limits everywhere as well

What I don't get is that they have all these cycle lanes but allow cars to park all over many of them, thereby forcing cyclists into the road and liable to get mown down by a car or bus. If they are going to have these lanes then they need to back them up with yellow lines.
That said I think they are, overall, a waste of money as they don't get well used, and loads of cyclists still use the road or seafront promenade. They ignore red lights and are a law unto themselves.

 

[symyjym]

What I don't get is that they have all these cycle lanes but allow cars to park all over many of them, thereby forcing cyclists into the road and liable to get mown down by a car or bus. If they are going to have these lanes then they need to back them up with yellow lines.
That said I think they are, overall, a waste of money as they don't get well used, and loads of cyclists still use the road or seafront promenade. They ignore red lights and are a law unto themselves.

I think the Old Shoreham Road cycle lane was a bit of a design overkill. Sure it was good to make it cycle friendly, but just a painted cycle lane would have would have done the job and they could have extended it further for less than the cost of the half mile that was constructed.

 

[portslade seagull]

What I don't get is that they have all these cycle lanes but allow cars to park all over many of them, thereby forcing cyclists into the road and liable to get mown down by a car or bus. If they are going to have these lanes then they need to back them up with yellow lines.
That said I think they are, overall, a waste of money as they don't get well used, and loads of cyclists still use the road or seafront promenade. They ignore red lights and are a law unto themselves.

On the London road the Cyclists seem to prefer the pavement when there is a empty lane right next to them. When advised they should be in it just get a load of verbal in return, just seems a waste