Creating more safe space for walking and cycling within the town centre requires some severe restrictions on the amount of motor vehicle traffic going through the town centre. Also, less traffic leads to more customers for retail outlets, as well as improved air quality in the town centre. (Photo by ehsan eslami on Unsplash)
This research paper, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226668125_Car-free_City_Centers, concludes that case studies show that "the lock-out of unnecessary traffic must not be an isolated measure, but one important one within the push-and-pull-association of many conceptually integrated measures. The most important supporting measure concerns the provision of attractive public transport services".
Air pollution is a problem in parts of Eastbourne and is often above WHO guidelines, Reducing private vehice traffic through the town centre, especially petrol & diesel traffic, would reduce air pollution as well as carbon emissions. More space would also be available for taxis, buses, cyclists, and walkers, as well as for emergency, delivery & disabled vehicles.
This would surely just move traffic and increase pollution in the areas around the town centre as cars re-routed to get from one side of town to the other. This has to go hand in hand with public transport improvements and electric vehicles.
Reducing traffic in one area of town does not necessarily increase traffic in other areas (cf. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/streets_people.pdf). Freeing up road space away from cars has to occur first in order that buses, EVs & cycles can have better access immediately, thereby encouraging a modal shift away from cars. But providng more EV charging points & better bus services at same time will also help, & that should start now as part of a town-wide traffic reduction strategy.
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