At school, I remember being set geography homework with the title “The future lies in the city. Discuss.”
Even as a teenager, I was passionate about the environment and I wrote about how well-designed cities could enhance the quality of our lives.
I drew a map of a city with a port and a rail link – aware even then of the importance of public transport.
I was also aware of the impact that our choices can have on the wider environment – and each other.
So, what does the future of Brighton and Hove look like? Our vision, in the administration, is to offer more sustainable and efficient transport choices.
We’re taking a holistic, joined up approach to transport that will not only reduce emissions but also improve our quality of life.
We are also targeting air quality and implementing the measures required to move towards net zero.
Investment in bus services: A cornerstone of this vision is our bus service. It’s already one of the best in the country but we’re going even further, with a £28 million bus service improvement plan (BSIP).
This investment will help to increase frequency, expand routes and ensure reliability, improving traffic flow across the city, especially through junctions.
Making public transport a more attractive option for everyone is our priority.
Improving connectivity: We’re focusing on better connectivity by creating more cycle lanes and pedestrian pathways that are safe and accessible – with good, user-friendly design. This will encourage more residents and visitors to walk or wheel as part of their transport choice.
Secure bike storage, bicycle parking and public cycle and electric cycle hire will also help to make cycling a good option. This will not only reduce congestion but also promote healthier lifestyles.
Accessibility for all: As part of our Accessible City Strategy, we are committed to making sure that everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, can navigate the city with ease.
This includes improving infrastructure for those with disabilities – and making sure public transport is inclusive.
Rolling out EV (electric vehicle) charging: Brighton and Hove leads the way nationally with our public EV charging infrastructure. By providing ample charging points, we support the transition to electric vehicles, reducing our carbon footprint and improving air quality.
We already have 480 public EV charge points and are committed to installing at least 550 each year for the next three years – taking us to more than 2,000 public EV charging locations across the city.
Maintaining infrastructure: Well-maintained roads, pavements and cycleways are crucial for traffic to run efficiently – not only does it make them safer for drivers, cyclists and bus passengers, it also ensures a smoother journey for all.
We are committed to ongoing road and pathway maintenance, as well as continuing our city-wide programme of pothole repairs.
Contractors who carry out these works will be held to a high standard so we can be sure that the work is done well, with minimal disruption.
Through better engagement with utility companies and their contractors, as well as greater site supervision, I am committed to driving up the standards on our roads and provide the quality of work that I know residents expect to see.
Smart traffic lights: We are implementing smart traffic signals at some junctions to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and improve air quality.
These signals adapt to real-time traffic conditions, aligned with better signal phasing, to make sure our traffic flows efficiently through the city.
A cleaner city is our priority. Air quality affects us all and these measures will help to improve it and especially to offer protection to those who are most vulnerable – the young, the elderly and anyone with respiratory and other health conditions.
Taking a data-led approach, we are introducing incentives to encourage cleaner low and zero-emission vehicles and targeting areas where the air quality is poor.
Parking: We are also reviewing our approach to parking. A patchwork of parking zones has developed over the past two and a half decades – and with steep price increases year on year, these are not serving our city as well as they should.
We need a fair and accessible parking system that works well for residents, businesses and visitors. We will announce the changes this autumn.
The future of Brighton and Hove lies in creating low-carbon transport choices for all that are safe, efficient and inclusive.
By embracing these changes, we can build our city’s transport system to meet the needs of its people, while protecting the environment – making our city fit for the 2030s and beyond.
Councillor Trevor Muten is a Labour member of Brighton and Hove City Council and the cabinet member for transport, parking and the public realm.
How far does “the city” stretch? Does it include Rottingdean, where, particularly during rush hour, the traffic jams and air pollution are dreadful?
Increasing frequency, expand routes and ensure reliability, improving traffic flow across the city, especially through junctions are a welcome reversal of previous council obsession with making travel unbearable.
I’m happy to use buses providing they turn up and on time.
You can have as many charging points as you want. But all the time it is 30% more expensive than normal fuels they will remain unused. Like the ones in my street. People are selling EVs and buying petrol.
You should also consider licensing EV chargers to exert control on pricing, and reliability. New build homes should come with charging points and solar power.
In this article Cllr Muten claims that the provision of a larger cycling network will increase the number of people choosing to cycle. This is an interesting comment as previous experiments with these proved the opposite. The OSR cycle lanes were a clear example of this. His determination to press ahead with the hugely flawed VG3 scheme illustrates his disdain for common sense and the views of his own professional advisors.
Elected councillors should not be disingenuous or state untruths as facts. Mr Muten is yet another carphobe councillor, who has strong allegiances to the cycling pressure groups such as Bricycles and Sustrans. His personal views on transport in the city do not reflect those of the electorate, nor will they serve any positive outcome except to pay service to his personal deluded preferences.
Smart traffic lights sound like a nice idea; I’d certainly enjoy being able to travel down Kingsway without being caught at every single traffic light.
Interesting that in this comment piece Cllr Mutten doesn’t mention the biggest transport project which is due to start Valley Gardens Phase 3. Almost £14 million to remove a rounabout and lengthen a cycle lane, of which over £6 is coming from the local taxpayer. This administration has had plenty of time t rethink/ redesign to bring back costs but just didn’t bother. From the very first consultation 66% wanted to keep the rounabout and even the recently commisioned report from the council shows congestion and pollution will increase. This will certainly be Labour’s folly and it was totally avoidable.
It’s also interesting that Councillor Muten doesn’t refer to the plans the council has outlined in it’s parking report going to Cabinet this week about the proposals they are considering to encourage more people to travel to the city by car to increase their parking income. This Labour administration is a ‘Council of Contradictions’ talking about it’s hopes to reach net zero and pretending they understand sustainable travel, whilst at the same time seeking to encourage more people to travel to the city by car rather and ditching sustainable transport options just so the council can maintain / increase parking revenue.
EVERYTHING Councillor Muten says in this article is the opposite of what is ACTUALLY in his administration’s parking report going to Cabinet. They can’t have it both ways. This article is nothing more than spin if the proposals the council brings to Cabinet are the reverse of the words councillors say in comment pieces like this.