On 12 Oct 2009 at 8:48pm Rabble Rouser wrote:
This is the text of the leaflet that the Council have produced. If local residents can't get into town after 5pm, how are all the visiting bonfire societies going to get here? I'm also baffled about the plan to direct latecomers to a firesite, rather than let them near a processional route. I thought you needed tickets for most of the firesites.
Lewes BONFIRE
2009
Important information
for residents
and visitors
Changes this year to keep
crowd numbers to a safe and
comfortable level will affect
travel and parking on the day
We are committed to preserving the
historic bonfire tradition in Lewes whilst
keeping everyone safe. This year there
are new arrangements to help people
enjoy the night:
Crowd numbers along the central
procession route will be kept to a safe and
comfortable level.
The emergency access routes shown in
green on the map overleaf will be kept clear
of parked vehicles and obstructions.
IF YOU ARE A LEWES RESIDENT
Please get your vehicle home before 5.00pm on 5th
November so that you can avoid the road closures.
The closures will be in place until about midnight.
All parking will be suspended on the roads shown
in red on the map from 4.00pm on 5th November.
Any vehicles that remain parked on the roads
shown in red after 4pm will be towed away. Residents
on these roads will receive more detailed
information about alternative parking prior to the
event.
The A275 Nevill Road and Brighton Road will be
open until 7.00 pm to allow residents of Nevill,
Landport and Houndean to gain access their
homes. At the Ashcombe Roundabout there will be
no access to Lewes.
Normal parking controls in streets and car parks in
Lewes will resume at 9am on 6 November.
IF YOU ARE A VISITOR
Please dont drop litter or bring glass bottles into
the town.
RAIL SERVICES
You will have to queue at Brighton and other stations.
Last services from Lewes depart between 12.00am
and 12.30am depending on your destination.
PARKING
Parking in Lewes will be limited on 5th November.
The town centre procession and emergency access
routes will be cleared of cars by 4.00pm.
Dont try to bring your car into Lewes for the bonfire celebrations.
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Procession Routes
The red routes are used for processions and are within
Lewes Central Parking Zone. Parking will not be allowed
on red routes after 2.00pm. Contravention notices may be
issued to any vehicle parked on a red route after 2.00pm.
Any vehicle remaining on any red route after 4.00pm risks
being towed away to a compound. Residents who have
permits to park on the red routes will receive a letter
before 5th November giving details of alternative parking places.
Emergency access routes
From 5.00pm the following routes shown green on the
map will become clearways with no parking or waiting.
The entire length of the Brighton Road from the
Ashcombe roundabout along the A275 Nevill Road to
its junction with the Offham Road (including the
parking bays on Nevill Road).
The A26 Cuilfail Tunnel and Malling Hill from its junction with the A27 Southerham roundabout to the junction with the B2192 Earwig corner (including the lay-bys).
Parking will not be allowed on any part of the A27 or
A26 Trunk Roads at any time.
Any parked vehicles will be towed away.
Road closures
The roads coloured red will be closed from 5.00pm. The following traffic restrictions will also come into force:
1. The C7 will be closed at the Kingston road
junction with Wellgreen Lane at 5.00pm. Traffic going
north will not get past this point and will have to divert through the Wellgreen Lane C324 to gain access to the westward bound A27. There will be no parking or waiting on the C7 north of the closure.
2. At the Ashcombe roundabout the A27 exit to
Brighton Road will be closed at 5.00pm. There will be
no access to Lewes
3. At 7.00pm until midnight, the A275 and Brighton Road
will be closed to all traffic from the Offham Road junction through to the Ashcombe roundabout. Residents of Nevill, Landport, Houndean and Winterbourne will be able to get access until 7.00pm by driving south on the A275 and Brighton Road. Southbound through traffic on the A275/Brighton Road will be able to gain access to the A27 until 7.00pm.
4. The Offham Road A2029 will be closed at 5.00pm at
its junction with the A275.
5. Mayhew Way will be closed at 5.00pm at its
junction with Church Lane (U5137).
6. The A26 Malling Street into Lewes (the Snail Roundabout)
will be closed from 5.00pm. Access for buses will
be maintained.
BONFIRE SITES
There are six different bonfire societies:
Lewes Borough Commercial Square
Southover Waterloo South St Cliffe
At each fire site (shown on map) the Bonfire Society
will light its bonfire and hold a firework display at
about 9.30pm.
PROCESSIONS
There are many processions along the red routes during
the evening. Each bonfire society sells its own
programme giving details of its procession routes.
The main procession route is from Western Road,
through the Bottleneck along the High Street then
pass the War Memorial and down School Hill to
Boots corner. The United Grand procession starts at
about 7.40pm.
The main procession route from the Bottleneck
becomes crowded early in the evening. When it is full,
the access barriers will be closed. Anyone coming
into the town after that time can stay outside the
main procession route or go straight to one of the
bonfire sites. There will be marshals in the town
centre who can give directions to the bonfire sites.
USEFUL CONTACTS
Lewes Bonfire Information Line: 01273 484004
On 12 Oct 2009 at 9:22pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Bummer. That'll stop me driving home from the Cliffe before the last procession!
On 12 Oct 2009 at 9:27pm Angry of Lewes (Retd) wrote:
who decides "safe and comfortable" - constabulary restricting spectators on Cliffe bridge in recent year has been most UNsafe and UNcomfortable...
why give us only a fortnight to assimilate t Nazi-esque regulations?
will read some more now and post again in a minute expect
On 12 Oct 2009 at 10:53pm Rabble Rouser wrote:
One of the key road closures is this one:-
2. At the Ashcombe roundabout the A27 exit to
Brighton Road will be closed at 5.00pm. There will be
no access to Lewes.
...
What that means is that, after 5.00pm, anyone travelling from Brighton to Houndean, the Nevill, Wallands, Landport or Winterbourne will have to go via the by-pass, through the tunnel, out towards Uckfield, through Barcombe Mills, Barcombe Cross and Cooksbridge, to enter the town via the A275 from the north - and if they don't manage that by 7.00pm, they'll not get home at all.
I can only see chaos.
On 13 Oct 2009 at 12:55am 2 smoking Barrels wrote:
Civil Liberties?
You villl obey
On 13 Oct 2009 at 7:40am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
A few years ago, someone told me a tale of a family who moved to Lewes just before the 5th, and didn'rt know about bonfire.
Allegedly, the guy didn't get back to town until about 6.30, had to park right out at the bottom of Brighton Road, fought his way through the heaving throngs to get to his road in the town centre, as he hadn't yet learned any of the back ways, only to find the police wouldn't let him through to his house as it was on a green route and he had no proof that he lived there!
Just what you need after a hard day at the office!
On 13 Oct 2009 at 11:48am Brixtonbelle wrote:
Is this info available online ?
On 13 Oct 2009 at 11:59am Down and Out wrote:
New neighbours moved in next door to us a couple of weeks ago, from out of Lewes (no, not London). We're on a procession route, so I don't know whether to give them a bit of warning about what to expect, or just let it all take them by surprise...
On 13 Oct 2009 at 1:11pm Alexander lemming wrote:
Surprise. Definitely!
On 13 Oct 2009 at 1:39pm Rabble Rouser wrote:
The leaflet (complete with multi-coloured map) is available on the lewesbonfirecouncil website
On 13 Oct 2009 at 7:24pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
A few years' ago, the Cliffe's enjoyment of badge night was markedly enhanced by a new resident in a flat by the Gardeners holding his head, pacing up and down and shouting "shut up" at the assembled throng.
He obviously had no idea what went on before he moved in.
On 15 Oct 2009 at 10:04am upton wrote:
I am in one of the societies and I really have doubts about going out on the night as i live on the outskirts and usually take my car to the outer rim of the old road closures so the kids dont have to walk all the way home at 10pm. I may have to throw my toys out of my pram about this!!!!
On 15 Oct 2009 at 4:08pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I'm not happy about having to stay out till the bitter end, either! I usually slope off after we get back from the fire site, my elderly arthritic legs can't possibly walk the the breadth of town and up to the top of our hill after doing 4 processions.
I might just snooze in the car until they open the roads again.
On 21 Oct 2009 at 12:59am Me wrote:
Its called police dictatorship ! . . Watch this space