This is a non-profit web site and newsletter promoting sustainable transport (trains, buses, cycling and walking) in Lewes and the surrounding world. Included are the latest news about changes in bus and train services, hot tips on how to get the cheapest tickets, information about cycle routes and advice on buying a bike, as well as many walks you can do near Lewes using public transport. You can also read about local history, especially about roads, paths and rights of way. You can visit the web site at www.travelloglewes.co.uk 

To get the newsletter visit the web site and sign up, or email travelman@travelloglewes.co.uk

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Chris Smith Travel Log Lewes- sustainable travel in Lewes and the World www.travelloglewes.co.uk

In the archives of The Keep at Falmer is a 3-D model more than 5 ft long, made in about 1962. It shows how Lewes would have looked if a startling 1960s proposal for the ‘Lewes Inner Relief Road’ had gone through.

This motorway-standard road was intended to relieve the traffic congestion in Lewes and protect the High Street area, but it would also have had the effect of cutting the town in two.

It would have run from the Prison Crossroads through The Paddock, skirting Lewes Castle and on to the Phoenix Causeway, and pedestrians would have had to use a footbridge or tunnel to cross from one side of Lewes to the other.

Residents of Lewes, along with organisations like the Friends of Lewes mobilised against these plans, resulting in the building of the Southern Bypass, which we know today.

In Carving Through Lewes, Jill Goulder takes us along the planned road, showing how Lewes would have changed had it been allowed to go ahead.

 

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Become a Friend of Lewes

 

This is a satellite event of Depot’s Climate Action! Festival and takes place over three weekends: on Saturday 17 June, Saturday 24 June, and Saturday 1 July 2023, with displays available to view Wednesday-Friday.

Join Lewes Climate Hub for these three weekends of thought-provoking talks, displays and interactive sessions asking: What do we want travel in and around Lewes to look like by the end of the decade?

Venue: Lewes Climate Hub, Lewes House, 32 High Street, Lewes BN7 2LX

Session topics will include:

• Saturday 17 June: What would get you out of your car?
• Saturday 24 June: Is there too much traffic in Lewes?
• Saturday 1 July: Lewes 2030: What should travel look like in our town?

Enlarge this poster for more details:

 

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Become a Friend of Lewes

 

East Sussex County Council is developing a Bus Services Improvement Plan in collaboration with the county’s bus operators, in a bid to obtain Central Government funding to improve bus travel across East Sussex.

Their Bus Service Improvement Plan Survey of businesses and organisations with an interest in bus services will enable them to develop an Improvement Plan for submission to central government by the end of October 2021.

The survey took place in the four weeks to 14 September 2021.

Friends of Lewes response to the ESCC Bus Service Improvement Plan Survey [pdf 211kb]

 

On 9 May 2020, the Secretary of State for Transport announced a £250m Emergency Active Travel Fund for local authorities to restart local transport as part of the Government’s Covid-19 recovery roadmap.

The two key aims of the funding are to:-

• enable more walking and cycling for everyday journeys, alongside
• supporting safe social distancing.

The types of measures that they require local authorities to consider delivering include; road closures, widened footways, pop up cycle lanes, temporary cycle parking and social distancing signage.

An application by ESCC was submitted to the Department for Transport on 5th June 2020, to seek approval. Their proposal for Lewes concerns Lewes High Street/School Hill: Footway widening to enable people to social distance and walk along this busy route within the town centre to access key local services. 

Further information at the ESCC website

The Friends of Lewes has submitted the following statement to the ESCC:

“Friends of Lewes has as one of its central goals to work with others to promote and protect the vitality of businesses in and around our High Street, preserve its range of buildings and businesses, and safeguard its community value in the face of commercial change and problematic traffic management.

In these unusual and difficult times we recognise the need to make changes to encourage people to feel safe moving around the town, be they pedestrians or cyclists, whilst at the same time supporting local business and helping those who cannot for a variety of reasons walk or cycle to local destinations.

To maintain the attractiveness of the town, at this difficult time, it is hoped that the Highway Authority will look to reduce as much unnecessary through-traffic from the town centre as possible, not only improving the environmental quality, but also maximising road safety and containing pollution levels.

We recognise the immense challenges which are an integral part of achieving all of these aims.  We hope there will be a wide ranging, informed  debate both over temporary and more permanent changes to the built environment of Lewes.  We look forward to taking an active part in that debate.”

Friends of Lewes, July 2020

From ESCC website – Click image to enlarge

In 2015-16 the road bridge at Lewes Railway Station was strengthened and repaired, followed by a comprehensive restoration of the listed station buildings by BAM Nuttall Ltd. They gave a talk in January 2017 to the Friends of Lewes, which was preceded by a short history of railways in the town by Robert Cheesman, Chairman of the Friends of Lewes. Afterwards it was suggested that it would be interesting to have a more detailed historical account.

Robert now presents his extended history of the railways at Lewes, beginning with the first railway from Brighton in June 1846, followed by the many developments of the railway lines and services up to today. His informative illustrations include photos of the three Lewes railway stations.

Railways at Lewes, by Robert Cheesman, January 2018

 

A.H. Homewood postcard of Lewes Station c. 1905, John Hollands collection

 

 

 

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In 2015-16 the road bridge at Lewes Railway Station was strengthened and repaired, followed by a comprehensive restoration of the listed station buildings by BAM Nuttall Ltd. They gave a talk in January 2017 to the Friends of Lewes, which was preceded by a short history of railways in the town by Robert Cheesman, Chairman of the Friends of Lewes. Afterwards it was suggested that it would be interesting to have a more detailed historical account.

Robert now presents his extended history of the railways at Lewes, beginning with the first railway from Brighton in June 1846, followed by the many developments of the railway lines and services up to today. His informative illustrations include photos of the three Lewes railway stations.

Railways at Lewes, by Robert Cheesman, January 2018

 

A.H. Homewood postcard of Lewes Station c. 1905, John Hollands collection

 

 

 

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Consultation questionnaire, and Friends of Lewes response 24 February 2017

The East Sussex County Council has received a number of complaints regarding cars and other vehicles parked on footways in Lewes High Street. They are seeking the views of the public and to find out if there is support for the introduction of measures to address these issues.

The ESCC is considering the following measures: the introduction of a footway parking ban in the High Street (on the north side from Westgate Street to Eastgate Street), together with a loading on the north side of High Street. This would be supplemented with new loading bays placed outside the White Hart Hotel and opposite Albion Street. The existing loading bays outside Cummings bookshop and near the memorial will remain in place.

The public’s views will determine whether these parking controls are introduced in the area, and no decision will be made until the results of this questionnaire have been assessed. You are therefore encouraged to participate in the consultation process.

Map shows the consultation area edged in red

The ESCC letter with map and questionnaire is available to download. Please return the questionnaire to the ESCC by 10 March 2017.

The Friends of Lewes response to the ESCC Consultation, 24 February 2017

 

Friends of Lewes responses to consultations

 

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East Sussex County Council recently conducted a public consultation on alterations to the bus routes it subsidises in the county.

The council said supported bus services which operate during peak hours would be largely unchanged and the vast majority of children travelling to their nearest school would be unaffected.

The Friends of Lewes submitted a response to the consultation during September 2014.

 

 

 

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