The residential street in Brighton where 690 buses have been redirected causing uproar

Watch: The street where 690 buses a day now pass through as residents tell ITV News Meridian's James Dunham of their frustration


If Upper North Street in Brighton had a bus stop there'd be no problem catching one at the moment.

Around 690 double deckers have been redirected onto the residential road as the normal route in the city centre undergoes a significant revamp.

The diversion has brought huge frustration for people living on the street who have become all too familiar with the bus timetable.

It's led a campaign group to write to Brighton and Hove City Council to inform the authority legal action is being taken.

The top deck of buses is now eye level with first floor balconies Credit: ITV News Meridian

Lawrence Eke says the disruption to sleep is becoming a real nightmare,

"I think the duration of the of the TTO, which means that we're going to have busses come through for two years, just seems far too long for the amount of work that's being done.

"The last bus stops at 3:30am and the first bus comes at 5:50am. And I know that because I get woken up, other people get woken up too.

"And that's the real difficult thing, is that people are just losing their sleep."

Western Road in Brighton where the work is taking place Credit: ITV News Meridian

Concerns about the environmental and intrusive impact have also been raised with passengers on the top deck of the buses now eye level with first floor balconies.

Another resident, Andrew Newell says the road is too narrow for buses and there is a worry about safety.

"My wife pulled out of the front door here the other day. The car was on the pavement avoiding a bus. It missed her.

"I'm sure the drivers don't want to see that. We certainly don't.

"I don't think that was taken into account at all, that the busses are very wide and there's lots of parked cars."

The diversion route was introduced last month as work continues on Western Road designed at making the city centre shopping street more attractive.

  • A map of the diversion route

Local councillors have apologised for the disruption caused and Brighton and Hove City Council say an alternative diversion route would've been problematic for the bus timetable as there would be delays to services.

Gillian Durham, who heads up the Western Road Redirection Action Group, is crowdfunding for legal action over the redirection.

The group claims the diversion breaks rules about weight vehicle limits on Upper North Street and the consultation wasn't carried out properly.

Gillian, who has written to the city council informing them of lawyer involvement, said,

"I'm absolutely prepared to see them in court. I cannot I cannot live with with the risk that somebody is seriously injured.

"We've got noise pollution, We've got visual pollution. We have people who look in on the from a double decker bus into our bedrooms and into our living rooms.

"Now, if this was going to be a housing development, planners would never allow this to happen."

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said,

"We have received this letter and we are considering its contents. We are unable to comment further at this stage."