On 1 Oct 2016 at 5:40pm Themajor wrote:
I counted 20 cars parked on pavements in the Cliffe this afternoon. Anyone can now park here for free. There is no penalty for such parking. Having asked the wooden top police they say they have no responsibility..........
So who cares.........
On 1 Oct 2016 at 6:10pm dick wrote:
well the other day I counted 4 bike coming up the wrong way .I had to jump out of the way
On 1 Oct 2016 at 6:59pm Bradley Wiggins wrote:
Cyclists can travel in both directions along Cliffe High Street.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 7:53pm JillG wrote:
Absolutely, Bradley - bikes have been allowed through Cliffe in both directions for years; there is a large 'bikes both ways' sign at the entrance from Railway Lane that nobody reads, and an 'Except cycles' sign by the no-entry one at the Morris Road end, which again is a well-kept secret. Local cyclists (like me) going in both directions carefully respect the priority of pedestrians in this area, but there is the odd idiot on wheels who does harm to the cycling world by scorching through Cliffe.
As for the council, they say that they can't put up any more noticeable signs about this (of course it's a conservation area so they do have a problem).
As for the parked cars, there is again a 'Pedestrian Zone' sign at the entrance from Railway Lane which nobody notices. Some direct action (local residents putting polite notices on parked cars) has had a lot of success, but unfortunately there's no official help.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 8:33pm Themajor wrote:
My point is about the cars and the lack of enforcement. Just another indication of why people do what they like,e.g. Use of phone when driving, dogs mess not being cleared. The Council should be doing more....all they are interested in is income from car parking.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 8:46pm dick wrote:
my point about bike riding into people walking about
On 1 Oct 2016 at 8:51pm Driver wrote:
There are no signs indicating that pedestrians have priority.
Parking is allowed, for loading, on the outside edge of the extended pavement between Bill's and Morris Road- in the area bordered by the grey bricks.
Disabled drivers are allowed to drive into the street; and can park in the "grey area".
Any vehicle accessing Harvey's yard or the Argos car park HAS to enter from Railway Lane and exit towards Morris Road.
All we need a little understanding and courtesy from all classes of road user.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:19pm Themajor wrote:
Driver you miss the point, all those you list can park, but the majority are casual drivers who don't want to pay for parking and know there is no penalty for parking in the Cliffe. Today I saw two sets of car users go into cafes......
LDC just want the cash from car parks but can't be bothered to enforce the rules in the Cliffe......
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:28pm Wotcha wrote:
Lewes District Council have NO powers to enforce the regulations that restrict access to Cliffe High Street. That is the responsibility of the police.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:31pm Themajor wrote:
If it's the police, how do we get them to enforce the parking requirements in the Cliffe.......or are they adopting the same approach as for drivers using mobiles and leave them alone.....the less the police do to enforce the laws the more lawless society becomes.....are we happy with this......
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:38pm Wotcha wrote:
Enforcement of the law by the police always comes down to priorities. I suspect that abuse of restricted entry signs is treated in much the same way as exceeding the 20mph limits. The police will only pursue offenders in areas where the consequences of a breach in the law are serious. Irritating, but not injuring pedestrians doesn't reach the threshold needed for action to be taken.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:41pm Dad with loads of kids wrote:
The council is now responsible for parking enforcement, if there are no yellow lines and the cars are not causing an obstruction then it's not a problem.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:41pm Themajor wrote:
So the conclusion is anyone can park down the Cliffe as its not an issue of concern to anyone. The public just have to accept and/or join the lawbreakers.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:42pm Wotcha wrote:
Parking is quite a different matter from abusing the access restrictions, of course. The County Council has the power to charge people for on-street parking. But the parking wardens can't stop people during past a "no entry" sign.
On 1 Oct 2016 at 9:47pm Themajor wrote:
I spoke to the Wooden police and they said they don't represent the County or District Councils so people can do what they like, enter where it says "no entry"and park where they wish.......
On 1 Oct 2016 at 10:50pm The Old Mayor wrote:
As a matter of fact the "wooden tops" do police the parking in Cliffe High Street quite rigorously. Even with loading bays, the sign says 40mins, but in actual fact you are not allowed to leave your vehicle unattended for more than 4 minutes !! God help you if you're delivering a bed to the second floor flat !! Although the old bird who has a shop and blue badge can park where she likes, as long as it's NOT in a parking bay. Work that out !! Who said "the law is an ass"?
On 2 Oct 2016 at 7:18am Themajor wrote:
Wooden tops I spoke to said they had no authority to get involved....
On 2 Oct 2016 at 8:44am Cllr Rosalyn St Pierre wrote:
Parking on the Cliffe has been a matter of heated debate since it was re-opened. Cyclists CAN ride both ways. There are parking zones marked with grey bricks (yes difficult to see). The dilemma is that the Cliffe used to be a sad and neglected part of Lewes. The scheme has brought life into the street. But then the traders and residents and there are a fair few living there, need to park to deliver, drop off or pick up goods etc. It is a shared street between us all. That said, I receive a number of complaints from drivers ticketed properly as they parked outside the hatched zones, so from my mailbox the enforcement is in place. The Lewes Parking Board which consists of Lewes District and ESSC councillors and staff where reviews are undertaken, so you can always contact me as a councillor for Cliffe.
On 2 Oct 2016 at 10:44am A Person wrote:
This whole thing irritates me too. There is a perfectly clear sign on Railway Lane by the side of the bakers which none of my friends seem to have seen. Access is indeed needed for Harveys and Argos, and for loading. If it were just parking it would be annoying enough, but the quantity of vehicles driving straight through is really astonishing - and these aren't cars leaving Harveys or Argos, they're cars who've just driven over Cliffe bridge and straight through the pedestrian zone. There are often times when the only place for pedestrians to walk is the narrow strip running along the north side, because there are vehicles parked all along the south side and constant traffic along the central zone. You barely see police officers any longer, which is presumably the result of cuts, and they probably have more urgent things to do than have a severe word a bunch of selfish or ignorant drivers.
On 2 Oct 2016 at 1:47pm Hopalong Cassidy wrote:
Spare a thought for the dry cleaners who would lose my regular custom If I couldn't park somewhere near their shop. I have a heart complaint and a wooden leg and a modified car but somehow am not considered disabled enough to warrant a blue badge. I have no option but to park as close to their premises as I possibly can and hope the blue meanies don't get me.
On 2 Oct 2016 at 2:12pm JillG wrote:
As @A person says, no-one sees the sign. I've heard a GM taxi-driver (who'd lived in Lewes for 20 years) swear that there was no sign there. The Council say that they can't relocate it as it needs to be 2.1 metres above the pavement.
Action by Cycle Lewes has achieved one good thing, incidentally: through conversations with the Council department dealing with liaison with taxis, the continual flow of taxis driving illegally straight through Cliffe has at last virtually ceased.
Another problem is older or foreign satnav - a friend of mine followed her German-make one which took her from the Cuilfail tunnel right round to Court Rd and through Cliffe High St to get to South St.
All very frustrating!
On 2 Oct 2016 at 3:20pm lewes man wrote:
just like to point out to you that a taxi can drive down the cliffe for pick ups or drop offs .You may not see this. also car can drive down there if picking up from argos which has a car park there. and also staff at the j h t can drive to and from work some people need to get a life or move out of town. also car may be used to drop of goods in to local shops
On 2 Oct 2016 at 3:35pm A Person wrote:
"a taxi can drive down the cliffe for pick ups or drop offs" If the address is in the restricted zone, sure it can. Not if it's just the quickest way to Morris Rd or South St though. I'm not sure how I wouldn't "see this"?
I'm talking about the vehicles which drive straight over the bridge and straight down the street, as I made quite clear in my earlier comment.
Why do I need to get a life? Or leave town? Because I would prefer to be able to walk in a pedestrianised area without being forced off the road by vehicles which should not be there? Who would be fined by the police if they ever enforced the clear signs which forbid through traffic? Please explain.
On 2 Oct 2016 at 3:36pm JillG wrote:
I do indeed agree about the drop-off taxis and other vehicles, @lewes man - all legal, including the Argos park; the problem as specified is cars seen clearly to drive all the way through without stopping. Some don't see the sign, others are trying it on. Then there's the separate issue of parking to go into a cafe etc; again people not seeing the Railway Lane sign or trying it on.......
On 2 Oct 2016 at 4:11pm Themajor wrote:
A Person, thank you for backing me up. So many including the Cllr. Failed to see that so many that park there are casual shoppers and cafe users. It's used as a short cut represents 50% of traffic when I have been there and counted vehicles. And yes you do see taxi, with and without passengers, doing the same. Can Cllr provide stats of number of vans and cars ticketed in last year.
On 2 Oct 2016 at 8:57pm Oldbutintouch wrote:
A few weeks ago I watched a "French's" cab, driven by a lady, shoot straight down the Cliffe at speed. What was particularly horrifying, was the risk she took in speeding straight past the stop sign & white lines at the junction with Morris Road. Everyone was very fortunate that no one was driving out of Morris Road at the time. I made a mental note of her LDC cab number but, being Oldbutintouch, I have forgotten it, although it was only two digits. Shouldn't be too hard to identify the homicidal idiot!
On 2 Oct 2016 at 9:56pm lew wrote:
some good point about car making a short cut . it not right that they are doing this
On 2 Oct 2016 at 10:26pm CliffeWanderer wrote:
Not overly relevant but good as any place to put it - I nearly got mowed over by a well groomed lady in a coupe coming hastily round the corner by the Riverside and over the bridge before she swung into the Brewery.
On 2 Oct 2016 at 11:15pm Belladonna wrote:
It should be delivery access only at restricted times - say after 4pm until 6pm. Hastings manages a similar pedestrianised high st very well, don't see why Lewes can't.
On 3 Oct 2016 at 7:50am CliffeStaggerer wrote:
Well, Wanderer it was nearly a Coup D' Car then 
On 3 Oct 2016 at 8:16am mummy bear wrote:
I saw a car speeding along Cliffe High Street and it beeped a family crossing the road in the pedestrian zone - what is wrong with these drivers?
On 3 Oct 2016 at 12:41pm JillG wrote:
Council officers say (fairly enough, true) that signs beyond the big/ un-noticed sign would be technically redundant, as drivers seeing them cannot then reverse out. But 'repeater' signs would do the very valuable job of alerting drivers so that they don't come through again - some of the drivers/ parkers are repeat offenders, either not seeing the sign or just enjoying the absence of policing (except by desperate residents). Repeater signs would also perhaps slow down some of the car-drivers, such as the idiots mentioned in this thread.
It's a combination of safety and quality of life, for local residents and visiting pedestrians and cyclists in our street.
On 3 Oct 2016 at 1:51pm Joe le Taxi wrote:
The taxi may have come from Heathfield and not familiar with Lewes' bizarre traffic flow.
On 3 Oct 2016 at 2:06pm Oldbutintouch wrote:
The offender was showing an LDC taxi licence plate, with a roof light reading "French cabs" - or similar. No Lewes cab has any excuse for such poor driving
On 3 Oct 2016 at 2:45pm Penguin wrote:
It's simple. Just reverse the directions of the one way, and it wouldn't be a short cut anymore. That would get rid of pretty much all of the traffic.
On 3 Oct 2016 at 4:55pm Taff wrote:
Strange that cyclists are aware of the 2 way use signs at each end of the Cliffs but completely ignore the no access sign going off toward Harvey's yard and Tesco. Also strange that after many years now some people still think it's all pedestrian only.
On 3 Oct 2016 at 7:34pm Another b and lady wrote:
Yes Penguin. Reversing the directin would go a long way to stop Cliffe High Street being used as a short cut to South Street. Cycle Lewes and Living Streets monitored the traffic every day for a week. They kept records on traffic leaving the car park and whether turning right or left, how many vehicles drove straight through, how many vehicles parked, where, why and for how long. Also how many vehicles went in and out of Harvey's Yard and Argos. It was also noted that no Argos staff used the car park and that many cars just use their car park for free all day parking ..... The results have been discussed with ESCC. The point was also made that the signs were too high, too ambiguous and too small. A few traders were unhappy but most were supportive. I think ESCC are not doong anything about the survey even after meetings and discussions. They also won't countenance a reversal of direction either. They can't give any coherent reason for this. Perhaps lobbying one's local councillors is the only way forward now. As noted here, the situation regarding everyone using Cliffe High Strett as a through way and free parking hasn't changed.