Event celebrates opening of Lewes Rd bus and bike lanes

A celebration event is staged this coming weekend to mark opening of the new Lewes Road bus and bike lanes - all are welcome.

It happens in Wild Park, Moulsecoomb, on Saturday October 5, between 1pm and 4pm.  Attractions mainly provided by volunteers will include a bumpy BMX ‘pump track’, fun stalls, prizes and live music.  There will be various family-run activities, with a sustainable transport theme.

The first 200 people to arrive get a voucher for a free flapjack

Government transport minister and Lewes MP Norman Baker will speak, alongside a representative of the Joanna Walters Trust, set up in memory of a cyclist killed on the Lewes Road in 2010.

Also speaking is council leader Jason Kitcat.

People are being urged to travel in style by joining the local bike train from their area to Wild Park.  See www.biketrain.org for details.

Deputy council leader and lead transport councillor Ian Davey said:  “A safer more pleasant road is indeed something to celebrate.  I’d urge people to walk, cycle or get the bus to the event and see how Lewes Road has changed and how it works.”

The project aims to encourage people to use environmentally-friendly forms of transport and make it easier to travel the route using a variety of travel methods.

Main features are wide bus and cycle lanes in each direction covering the two and a half miles from the Amex stadium to near the Vogue Gyratory outside Sainsbury’s.  For cars the road would be reduced from two lanes in each direction to one.

The scheme was paid for by a special government fund which councils can only use for transport.