Town centre revamp gets under way

The centrepiece of the project will see Devonshire Square turned into a mostly-pedestrianised piazza and work is expected to last for around a year. It's hoped the measures, part of East Sussex County Council's Transport Plan, will encourage the use of more sustainable means of transport such as walking, buses, cycles and vehicle-sharing. The phase beginning next week will be to make St Leonards Road one-way westbound. This will mean parking on both sides of the street, make it easier for pedestrians to cross and increase safety for drivers emerging from side roads. At the junction with Devonshire Road, all traffic will turn left towards the sea, reducing traffic through Devonshire Square. Work in St Leonards Road is expected to last eight weeks. The next phase will be to make the whole of Station Road one-way westbound and create better crossing points at the Sea Road end. The county council says this will improve traffic management and safety and create additional parking and work will begin this summer. Devonshire Square will be pedestrianised in the autumn and will be closed for around a fortnight while work takes place. Next year pavements in Devonshire Road will be resurfaced and widened to reduce crossing distances. New taxi ranks will be created and high kerbs will be provided at bus stops to make it easier to board. An exhibition was held at the De La Warr Pavilion last December explaining the proposals and getting feedback from local residents and traders. The county council received strong support overall with residents particularly keen to see pavements improved. Rother District Council is a partner in the project. Leader Graham Gubby said: "This is wonderful news for the town, the people of Bexhill and our visitors. "It is the start of a programme of work that will transform Bexhill. Last year we started to 'Make Bexhill Brighter', now we are continuing with more improvements which will increase access to the town, make pavements safer and create an atmosphere that people will really want to be a part of. "I am particularly pleased that the public consultation worked so well - everybody had a chance to have their say. "An excellent example of county and district councils working together with our residents for their benefit."