Eastbourne BID scheme to pedestrianise Terminus Road? Crack down on the marauding vans and large lorries first!

I write regarding the Eastbourne BID scheme spearheaded it seems by Christina Ewbank.

Shouldn’t Ms Ewbank sort out the present pedestrian areas first instead of ploughing ahead with other areas which are obviously badly needed?

By that I mean cracking down on the marauding vans and large lorries that seem to think they can enter the pedestrian areas whenever they like and most of them are not hanging about, people have to get out of the way pretty sharpish, as a taxi driver I see it on a daily basis.

Between 10am and 6pm no vehicles are allowed apart from emergency service vehicles on all sections of the present pedestrians areas.

Why is it that some shop owners in the area where TJ Hughes use to be think they have the brass neck cheek to leave their vans there all day long?

Much of this is caused by the pass the buck attitude we have here.

I’ve had many conversations with the parking wardens/police/council, they all blame each other.

Only last week a warden told me it’s not in their jurisdiction, it’s a council matter and we have been told not to deal with it.

One of them told me once it’s the responsibility of the shopping centre security staff, how he came to that conclusion beggars belief.

Unfortunately, we now live in a world where people hire vans and lorries and drive them down pedestrian areas.

If they are not protected sufficiently, people have been killed and seriously injured in the past.

I see that the Congress Theatre has now been surrounded by crash bollards as has the front door of Eastbourne Borough Council offices in Grove Road, someone has had the common sense to make sure all eventualities are covered.

Whereas the pedestrians in Eastbourne have nothing like that in place, they are being let down by people blaming each other.

I know of two people who have asked for bollards.

One was told, what happens when someone wants to get through them?

That’s the point you’re not supposed to.