[Brighton] The New Brighton Station taxi rank

[Weststander]

If the central part of Brighton was made pedestrian only I would even forgo cycling in the whole west street, north street, queens road,lanes, north laine area (even though I dont think it could be done legally re a cycling ban). It would be an amazing transformation and boost to the town. Taxi drivers dont like change to the pick at the front because for now customers dont know where to go and they dont get to charge for the 5-10 minute traffic jam right after the pickup. They dont give a shit if the customers get wet or not.

Is cycling not permitted in the city centres of continental cities? In my experience, pedestrians and cyclists appeared to live in harmony on their city centre streets. Could be wrong.

 

[Saunders]

Is cycling not permitted in the city centres of continental cities? In my experience, pedestrians and cyclists appeared to live in harmony on their city centre streets. Could be wrong.

It is I am just saying I would even be happy if they went further because pedestrians and cyclists arent a great mix in brighton. As I said it wouldnt even be legal with the bylaws.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It is I am just saying I would even be happy if they went further because pedestrians and cyclists arent a great mix in brighton. As I said it wouldnt even be legal with the bylaws.

Isn’t/wasn’t there a shared street in Brighton? Possibly New Road? How is that pilot going?

 

[Stat Brother]

Is cycling not permitted in the city centres of continental cities? In my experience, pedestrians and cyclists appeared to live in harmony on their city centre streets. Could be wrong.

They live more harmoniously because neither party is being squeezed into dangerous positions.

 

[zefarelly]

I agree with this. Whilst I support public transport it’s a total mess in Brighton with the buses in the centre of the city. Brighton is perfectly designed for a tram system; this should be the way forward.

We used to rehearse here . . . the old tram depot . . . .

 

[blue-shifted]

They live more harmoniously because neither party is being squeezed into dangerous positions.

I think there are also different cycling cultures in the likes of Copenhagen and Amsterdam than there are here. Let's just say they tend to be more upright on the continent. Planning is a big part of it (and clearly we can do much better), but not all of it.

 

[Notters]

[tweet]1190850577325907968[/tweet]

Whilst there is an element of truth in this, I think it's largely nonsense unfortunately.

1) People tend to drive in the tracks of others when it snow as they can't see where the kerbs are and because there is inevitably less snow there.
2) Road widths, particularly at junctions, are designed for the largest vehicles that need to use them, which are a small minority of the traffic usually. Which reminds me of the video below.

 

[blue-shifted]

Agree. The amount of buses that clog up Churchill Square area down through North Street is ridiculous, really. Air quality around there must be bloody awful

Completely agree. What's odd to me is that the main tourist sites are at the seafront and the buses don't really go there. Why not just one route which goes, say from the Hove Station, King Alfred, West Pier, Yellowave, Marina.

Someone also, quite sensibly suggested on this thread, one which goes across town down New England Hill.

The problem is just how slow the buses get across town. Just one example, I frequently drive between where I live in Portslade, and Preston Park. Now there are bus routes which take me from door to door, but they will take over an hour. Meaning, I'm going to take my car.

 

[WilburySeagull]

Agree. The amount of buses that clog up Churchill Square area down through North Street is ridiculous, really. Air quality around there must be bloody awful

I absolutely support pedrestrianisation but ironically the reason North Street gets clogged with buses is that the widening of the pavement and repositioning of bus stops on the south side means that buses cannot overtake each other going towards Churchill Square so as soon as one stops all others are halted too.

I do think trams could be the solution and they coul coexist with pedestrians given they are fixed on rails. A tram service north-south from the station and one west-east from say Palmeira Square to Kemptown would be great.

Of course the infrastructure cost would be huge and might require private investment as well as public.

 

[blue-shifted]

I absolutely support pedrestrianisation but ironically the reason North Street gets clogged with buses is that the widening of the pavement and repositioning of bus stops on the south side means that buses cannot overtake each other going towards Churchill Square so as soon as one stops all others are halted too.

I do think trams could be the solution and they coul coexist with pedestrians given they are fixed on rails. A tram service north-south from the station and one west-east from say Palmeira Square to Kemptown would be great.

Of course the infrastructure cost would be huge and might require private investment as well as public.

Is your suggestion to pedestrianise that whole route and have trams instead of buses or as well as?

 

[Stat Brother]

Whilst there is an element of truth in this, I think it's largely nonsense unfortunately.

1) People tend to drive in the tracks of others when it snow as they can't see where the kerbs are and because there is inevitably less snow there.
2) Road widths, particularly at junctions, are designed for the largest vehicles that need to use them, which are a small minority of the traffic usually. Which reminds me of the video below.

Yeah I know, 1066 also has issues with those representations, I think you're both right.
On a level they are as moronic as lumping all cyclists into the bracket.

But they do show just how much space is handed over to 1 person in 1 metal box, as opposed to hundreds of people stood at the kerb waiting to be told it's safe for them to carry on with their day.

If people don't cycle as part of their daily life it's pretty obvious those who are cycling will be doing it for other reasons.

 

[WilburySeagull]

Is your suggestion to pedestrianise that whole route and have trams instead of buses or as well as?

No, not as well, instead. The trams would link to bus routes outside the pedestrianised part. In time you might extend the tram routes beyond the centre if the money was there. There are plenty of problems with my idea but we do need think of schemes to make a long term solution. Other thoughts would include why on earth has a city our size not got a bus station and support for the increasing use of electric buses like those now on route 5.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Happened to us yesterday. I take my disabled father into Brighton to see some of his old friends once a month who live in Regency square and we always get a cab from the station as he has mobility issues. Got a taxi ok yesterday but instead of the usual £6 or thereabouts it had suddenly jumped to £11.20. Took 10mins longer to get there too, but at least my dad can afford it. The driver we had didn't seem too happy about the changes and I suppose as customers we will just have to accept paying more for our journeys in future.

The number 6 bus stop is within yards of the station entrance, and getting on a modern bus is easier than on a train. They lower the platform for elderly people, and have priority seats immediately inside. It's free with a bus pass. The 6 stops at Regency Square.

 

[blue-shifted]

The number 6 bus stop is within yards of the station entrance, and getting on a modern bus is easier than on a train. They lower the platform for elderly people, and have priority seats immediately inside. It's free with a bus pass. The 6 stops at Regency Square.

It's also easier getting in and out of a bus than it is a taxi

 

[blue-shifted]

No, not as well, instead. The trams would link to bus routes outside the pedestrianised part. In time you might extend the tram routes beyond the centre if the money was there. There are plenty of problems with my idea but we do need think of schemes to make a long term solution. Other thoughts would include why on earth has a city our size not got a bus station and support for the increasing use of electric buses like those now on route 5.

To me this is one of the biggest problem with trams, (assuming you’ve got the money and the political will to set it all up in first place) the need to get on and off different modes of transport when you get towards a city centre.

I think it’s easier to ease the problem with buses. They also offer more flexibility than a tram, ie you can adapt routes when there’s an accident or protest somewhere or Pride or something is on.

They just need to be faster. This can be achieved by ….

3 cross city routes (seafront, Churchill and New England hill) instead of one.
Getting rid of street parking on all bus routes, a real problem in the outer areas.
No stopping for cars at any time, markings on the road all through the city centre
No taxis in the city centre
Simpler paying (they are getting better at this)
Better route information at stops
A better app
More buses with doors for entry and exit

They also need to be cleaner

 

[el punal]

Happened to us yesterday. I take my disabled father into Brighton to see some of his old friends once a month who live in Regency square and we always get a cab from the station as he has mobility issues. Got a taxi ok yesterday but instead of the usual £6 or thereabouts it had suddenly jumped to £11.20. Took 10mins longer to get there too, but at least my dad can afford it. The driver we had didn't seem too happy about the changes and I suppose as customers we will just have to accept paying more for our journeys in future.

Am I being naive here? £6.00 to go from Brighton station to Regency Square, a distance of less than a mile, and now £11.60. That is outrageous. A comparison, if you like, after watching the Albion play on a Saturday and many drinks and train journey later I catch a taxi from Southampton station to home. It’s a distance of nearly four miles and the fare is around £7 to £8.

Brighton has always been notorious for car driving, even back in the 1970s when I lived there. It seems that the council are not exactly being proactive in addressing the issue if they allow exorbitant taxi rates that you’ve mentioned. Have they considered park and ride schemes which are successful in Portsmouth and Winchester, and I believe, are going to be implemented in Southampton?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

To me this is one of the biggest problem with trams, (assuming you’ve got the money and the political will to set it all up in first place) the need to get on and off different modes of transport when you get towards a city centre.

I think it’s easier to ease the problem with buses. They also offer more flexibility than a tram, ie you can adapt routes when there’s an accident or protest somewhere or Pride or something is on.

They just need to be faster. This can be achieved by ….

3 cross city routes (seafront, Churchill and New England hill) instead of one.
Getting rid of street parking on all bus routes, a real problem in the outer areas.
No stopping for cars at any time, markings on the road all through the city centre
No taxis in the city centre
Simpler paying (they are getting better at this)
Better route information at stops
A better app
More buses with doors for entry and exit

They also need to be cleaner

You seem to be suggesting trams or buses? In all the European places where I’ve seen them work well they form part of an integrated transport system. Typically they are only used in the Metro area and for zipping about short hop styleee. Buses are relatively small, clumsy to navigate on and off, difficult to move inside, get upstairs and downstairs , etc in short buses are crap and not fit for use for mass transportation over short distances.

As an aside, I once developed a tram system for Brighton, one long Sunday afternoon in a Brighton pub. Routes, staffing, ticketing, everything was sorted. The Super Furry Animals were to perform at the opening as well. It is to be funded by a huge lottery win. Please trust me on this, it will happen if the funding materialises.

 

[blue-shifted]

You seem to be suggesting trams or buses? In all the European places where I’ve seen them work well they form part of an integrated transport system. Typically they are only used in the Metro area and for zipping about short hop styleee. Buses are relatively small, clumsy to navigate on and off, difficult to move inside, get upstairs and downstairs , etc in short buses are crap and not fit for use for mass transportation over short distances.

As an aside, I once developed a tram system for Brighton, one long Sunday afternoon in a Brighton pub. Routes, staffing, ticketing, everything was sorted. The Super Furry Animals were to perform at the opening as well. It is to be funded by a huge lottery win. Please trust me on this, it will happen if the funding materialises.

May everything be as simple in the real world. If we can improve the transport situation that would be great.

Better designed buses, ie, ones with entrance and exit doors, or longer ones like the 25 buses, needn't be hard to get around. The improvements I suggested, and I'm sure there are others, require relatively little money, disruption or political will, well not compared to ripping up the entire town centre to install a tram system anyway. Don't get me wrong. I'd love to see it. I'd be amazed if it happens in my lifetime though,

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

May everything be as simple in the real world. If we can improve the transport situation that would be great.

Better designed buses, ie, ones with entrance and exit doors

There's quite a few of those in B&H already incl. the new blue-painted 5Bs with tap-in/out contactless boxes installed. Gadzooks!

 

[blue-shifted]

There's quite a few of those in B&H already incl. the new blue-painted 5Bs with tap-in/out contactless boxes installed. Gadzooks!

Yep, I go on bus routes all over the city. I do think the buses are improving. I just get the impression that they don't work closely with the council to get the road improvements they need, (eg no stopping zones etc) and the council are still prioritising other road users more.

I still think they need to get significantly faster before people will see them as a more logical form of transport than a car. With different routing and fewer cars on the road, this is possible.