East Sussex County Council delays Eastbourne bus lane plans

The original plans would have seen on street parking removed to make way for a bus lane

Council officials have pledged to redesign proposals for new bus lanes in Eastbourne on the day a protest was held in opposition to the plans.

The East Sussex Bus Service Improvement Plan aims to improve the punctuality of bus services.

The original plans would have created a series of bus lanes along the A259 Seaside.

East Sussex County Council voted to seek an extension from the Department for Transport to redesign the plans.

Businesses said the planned route would remove parking and destroy trade.

Kevin Gillett, who owns a cafe in the area, told BBC Radio Sussex the original plans would "crucify businesses, but you can't make the road three, four metres wider than it already is."

She added: "If there was a way of putting the bus lane and keeping the parking, we would be all for it."

The MP for Eastbourne, Caroline Ansell, said she acknowledged the plans had caused "no end of anxiety and concern over recent weeks".

The council's plan also includes proposals to expand the scheme to Newhaven and Peacehaven in the future.

During a meeting on Monday, the council recommended that a "balanced approach" was taken to "redefine the design and scope of the bus priority measures".

"This should consider the deliverability and affordability of a revised scheme, as well as local business and residents' views," the council said.

The council will seek approval from the government to redesign the plans. But if approval is not granted, the scheme will not progress.