Valley Gardens 3 moving into next phase

The project to transform the Valley Gardens area of the city is moving into a new phase.

With work almost complete on the eastern side of the Old Steine, we’ll soon be moving to the west side to construct a new public square and cycle lane between the Royal Pavilion and the War Memorial.

Good progress has continued during the summer, and the project is still on schedule to be completed in summer 2026.

In the last month alone, we’ve:

• Begun work on the cycle lane alongside the Royal Pavilion.
• Started to install new traffic signals and pedestrian crossings at Edward Street and St James’s Street.
• Begun to construct a wider pavement at the southern end of the Old Steine, near to Pool Valley.
• Started work to connect new streetlighting throughout.

Read more about the Valley Gardens 3 project.

Picture: Valley Gardens as work continues

Overnight resurfacing work this month

Overnight resurfacing work is due to take place on the Old Steine between Edward Street and the seafront from Sunday 12 to Sunday 26 October.

The A23 will be closed south of Marlborough Place. This will mean signed diversions in the area between 8pm and 6am, which will need to change daily. The A259 seafront road will remain open.

Buses will also be diverted, with routes varying depending on where resurfacing is taking place on each night.

When the Old Steine north of St James’s Street is closed:

• St James’s Street buses will operate as usual.
• Southbound services will divert via Lower Rock Gardens and the seafront before continuing along North Street.
• Northbound services will divert via Queens Road and North Road before continuing from St Peter’s Church.

When St James’s Street is closed:

• Buses will divert via the seafront or Edward Street and rejoin their usual route from Rock Gardens.

When the Old Steine south of St James’s Street is closed:

• Coastal bus services will divert via Edward Street and rejoin their usual route from Rock Gardens.

Residents will continue to have access to their properties throughout the resurfacing.

Important bus stop information

Following the resurfacing, northbound traffic will switch to its new home on the eastern side of the Old Steine.

The Royal Pavilion bus stops will also be closed with new bus stops north of the war memorial and at Castle Square being brought into use.

See the latest bus service information.

Picture: The north section of Valley Gardens phase 3

Progressing well

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “The work to transform the Valley Gardens 3 area has been going really well, which is great news.

“The resurfacing work will mean smoother roads for people travelling to and from the seafront. I appreciate there will be overnight disruption for a couple of weeks and I wish to thank residents for their patience as we do everything we can to get this work done as quickly as possible.”

“It is great to see the Valley Gardens 3 scheme progressing as planned. This long called for transformation will reinvigorate and revitalise this gem within our city centre. Ready by next summer, this will bring new public spaces, wider pavements, better cycle lanes, new bus stops, managed traffic flow and safer junctions.”