Improvements planned to support replacement Exceat Bridge over Cuckmere River between Seaford and Eastbourne

At a meeting next Monday (February 13), Cllr Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for transport and environment, will be asked to authorise the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the county council and the South Downs National Park Authority.

If signed, the memorandum would set out how both authorities would work together on three projects intended to improve the safety and experience of walkers and cyclists in the Seven Sisters Country Park.

The agreement is intended to complement plans to replace Exceat Bridge, which gained planning permission in December.

While approved, the application for the replacement bridge had attracted a significant number of objections around highway safety, particularly for walkers and cyclists using the area.

The park authority had raised these concerns during the application process, highlighting several potential improvements which did not fall within scope of the bridge replacement project.

According to officers, discussions resulted in both authorities agreeing to work together to improve the local transport infrastructure in and around the new bridge.

The memorandum of understanding, while not legally binding, would formalise this agreement, committing both parties to work together on the improvements.

This would take three forms: first, improvements to the walking route between the Seven Sisters National Park Visitor Centre and the park itself; second, improvements to walking routes near the Cuckmere Inn; and finally improvements to a nearby bus stop on the A259.

Put together, the three projects are intended to make the area safer and more accessible for non-motorists.

The memorandum sets out how the schemes would be developed within 7 years of signing, subject to the availability of funding.

An officers’ report concludes: “During discussions on the Exceat Bridge replacement scheme the National Park Authority identified a number of additional local transport improvements around the Bridge and Seven Sisters Country Park area which were not included in the scope of the bridge replacement

project.

“Therefore both parties agreed in principle, subject to approval, they would enter into a Memorandum of Understanding setting out how they intend to work together to attempt to bring forward these additional transport improvements.”