The cost of long-term public transport tickets matters, the eco champions say in their “Public Transport and Climate Tickets” review, because expensive prices affect people’s decisions about whether or not to switch from cars to public transport. Against that context, the group has named and shamed a ranking of cities where the biggest rises for monthly and annual tickets were recorded. The steepest increase was in Nicosia (+67%), then Amsterdam (+55%), Madrid (+50%), Bratislava (+32%), Berlin (+29%) and Vienna (+26%).

Passenger costs also went up “significantly” Greenpeace said, in Copenhagen (+18%), Bucharest (+18%), Brussels (+12%), Vilnius (+10%), London (+10%), Stockholm (+9%), Paris (+8%), and Helsinki (+5%).

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Nearly all the sharpest price hikes occurred in cities that now feature in a list of the 10 most expensive European capitals for monthly public transport. The most expensive by some way was London (€162 per month), followed by Amsterdam (€107), then Paris (€77), Stockholm (€64), Nicosia (€60), Berlin (€58), Copenhagen (€57), Dublin (€57), Helsinki (€49) and Zagreb (€45). But the worst in Europe based on the availability, affordability, and inclusivity of long-term public transport tickets are Paris (#28), London (#29), and Amsterdam (#30).

At the other end of the scale, Greenpeace applauded Prague (€15), Rome (€21) and Sofia (€25) for offering the cheapest available long-term ticket options (excluding the three cities where public transport is free of charge – Luxembourg City, Tallinn, and Valletta).

The environmental pressure group also praised four European capitals where the cost of the cheapest available long-term ticket or comparable fare option has in fact fallen since 2023: Dublin (-43%), Oslo (-12%), Bern (-7%) and Budapest (-6%). The group also noted the cost has remained unchanged in 12 other capitals.

For travellers and would-be digital nomads seeking affordable places to visit and live in, the Greenpeace ranking of transport costs is useful for maximising their travel budget, but Greenpeace is going further—using the findings to highlight the importance of ticket prices in shifting travel away from cars and towards public transport, at a time when Europe is “facing an accelerating climate crisis, with record-breaking heatwaves and severe droughts, as well as a cost-of-living crisis and inflation.”

Greenpeace also underlines the “renewed geopolitical imperative to strengthen energy security, given the shocks to global energy markets and supply chains caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine and, more recently, the conflict involving Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.”

With the European bloc having failed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, and transport still the main driver of oil demand worldwide, the study authors deplored the fact that up to six percent of Europeans say they cannot use public transport because it is too expensive, and up to 15% of the population in European countries use public transport but find it a heavy financial burden.

The group is urging policymakers to bring in what they are calling a “climate ticket” for use on all forms of public transport in a country or wider region. The strategy is “a question of political will,” Greenpeace says, over whether or not to reduce Europe’s fossil fuel dependence and emissions by helping people switch from cars to public transport, while also improving “the quality of our environment and help people cope with rising costs.”

L’article Which European cities have the most expensive public transport and why it matters? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The opening ceremony was attended by the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas and dignitaries including Virginijus Sinkevičius, MEP and Vice-Chair of the TRAN Committee. This year’s focus is on better access to mobility for all, safer and well-connected routes for walking and cycling, plus clean, reliable, and accessible public transport, and attractive and accessible public spaces.

Since its first year, in 2001, thousands of towns and cities in dozens of countries from Albania to Colombia and South Korea have participated in the week. The initiative has promoted pedestrianisation with enlarged streets and improved infrastructure; better accessibility through actions such as the creation of wheelchair ramps and lowering of pavements; an Improved and expanded European cycling network; traffic calming measures, particularly around schools; and the provision of electric vehicle charging points to encourage new forms of vehicle ownership.

This year action is taking place across more than 2,500 towns and cities in Europe and beyond. In Aveiro, Portugal, residents are looking at mobility at both ends of the age spectrum, with a “Kidical” mass bicycle ride organised by and for children and families, as well as launching a “senior mobility charter.”

In Kassel, Germany, more multigenerational action is at work, with a walk bringing local senior care home residents’ views to the fore and a family transport-themed treasure hunt. In Differdange, Luxembourg, Car-Free Day will see BMX demonstrations takeover the centre, while bike ramps and expanded 30 km/h zones will leave a permanent legacy.

Picking up on those themes in a statement, Tzitzikostas said: “The European Mobility Week is a reminder that transport must work for everyone. This year, our campaign’s focus is on intergenerational fairness. We need accessible, affordable and reliable mobility solutions that connect people of all ages to services, jobs, education, and each other. A fairer, cleaner and more user-friendly transport system means more opportunities, greater independence and stronger communities across Europe.”

Businesses, NGOs, schools, and other actors, including cities, who want to get involved in the ongoing challenge of the “EUROPEANMOBILITYWEEK” branded campaign are encouraged to register their “MOBILITYACTION” online.

L’article European Mobility Week marks 25 years with focus on sustainable transport est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Taking place from 15-17 September 2026 at the Thessaloniki Convention and Cultural Centre, this year’s 24th edition of the CIVITAS Forum is themed “Roots & Routes: Moving Forward to Competitive, Connected and Resilient Urban Mobility!” The programme will be structured around those three umbrella topics (competitive, connected, and resilient mobility), reflecting key priorities for sustainable urban mobility in Europe. EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas will attend the final plenary.

Delegates will have the opportunity to share best practices and discover strategies for creating sustainable, competitive, and adaptable transport systems that connect various modes of transport, from walking and cycling to shared mobility and electric vehicles. Organisers promise sessions on financing, accessibility and safety, and the mobility-energy nexus, and an approach that will highlight the role of technology, community engagement, and resilience in shaping cities that are “ready for the future while meeting the needs of all residents today.”

A northwest Aegean coastal city founded in 315 BCE that has become Greece’s second capital and a major tourist maritime hub now home to around a million people, Thessaloniki is perfectly suited to an event exploring how cities can blend their historical foundations with innovative approaches to mobility.

Welcoming the forum, city mayor Stelios Angeloudis said in a statement: “Thessaloniki is a city where history runs deep—a historic crossroads of cultures and civilisations for over two millennia.” Going on to acknowledge the “pressing challenges of the climate crisis” the mayor said the city “is actively transforming its urban landscape. Our administration is committed to an ambitious, green, and digital transition. We envision a more sustainable, resilient, and accessible city that elevates the quality of life for all residents, workers, and visitors alike.”

Angeloudis also pointed to the city’s “new metro system, the rapid electrification and modernisation of our public bus fleet, the expansion of smart traffic management, and our ongoing efforts to reclaim public space through extensive pedestrian and waterfront rejuvenations,” as positive examples of change that Thessaloniki has already undertaken. As well as attending the conference, delegates are invited to take the chance to experience the host city’s hospitality and witness first-hand what the mayor called “our urban evolution.”

L’article Thessaloniki to host CIVITAS Forum 2026 on sustainable urban and tourism mobility est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to a press release, Solar Team Eindhoven from Eindhoven University of Technology, in partnership with international health organisation Amref Health Africa, demonstrated their “Stella Juva” technology in trials in Kenya.

The solar ambulance is fitted with solar panels on the roof and generates energy while stationary via the use of extendable panels on the sides of the vehicle. This energy proved “to be sufficient to drive and to power medical equipment,” the team said. That equipment included an X-ray machine, ultrasound, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and cooling apparatus for vaccines.

Bringing healthcare directly to people, the researchers tested Stella Juva in the field around Kenya’s Narok region. The solar ambulance is approved for use on public roads, meaning that it could be deployed on both paved and unpaved roads, reflecting the reality of the conditions the vehicle could ultimately face. At one point, the team spent six hours travelling on challenging roads to reach a remote field location in Mosiro.

In total, the team covered more than 800 km, suffering only one issue en route – a broken steering rod, which was replaced within half an hour. This demonstrated “that the solar ambulance is reliable and performs well under challenging conditions,” the team claims. The vehicle generated more solar energy than it consumed whilst using all the medical equipment simultaneously.

“It is really great for the team to see the potential of Stella Juva in practice”, says team manager Mathijs van Gerven. “Not only to drive sustainably, but also to be able to provide fully independent care. Especially in remote areas where energy is often scarce, this can make all the difference.”

Health workers from facilities that Amref Health Africa works with tested the medical equipment and have hailed its promise. “Now that we have seen what Stella Juva can do in practice, we see enormous potential for remote communities. This could truly be a gamechanger”, says Geoffrey Sadera, project lead, maternal and child health at Amref Health Africa.

Narok is not the only example of a place where Stella Juva could make a real difference: one third of Kenya’s counties face similar challenges, with populations living at least two hours from care facilities, High levels of maternal and child mortality is just one consequence. “If we could deploy Stella Juva in these areas, the potential impact could be enormous: we could identify risks earlier, intervene sooner, and ultimately save lives,” Sadera explained. For example, during a single outreach, 30 to 40 pregnant women could receive an ultrasound in their own community, the researchers noted.

With the power and medical equipment required to examine and diagnose people on the spot, Stella Juva could revolutionise healthcare provision in remote destinations, making a tangible difference to locals, as well as to volunteer workers and visitors to these regions.

L’article Dutch researchers bring world’s first solar ambulance to remote destinations est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Concerns over scooter safety have been multiplying for a number of years since their first introduction on city streets around the world. The hop-on-hop-off nature of easily rented street scooters has been promoted as a “final kilometre” micro-mobility solution, but medical professionals and data point to a surge in head injuries caused by scooter accidents. Many riders appear unequipped with protective clothing, headgear, or any understanding of the consequences of a fall or accident at high speed.

“International studies, medical and accident statistics all point in the same direction: in serious and fatal accidents involving motorised transport, particularly electric scooters, head and brain injuries are very common,” the Mobility and Transport service said.

Vanaf 1 september: helm op de elektrische step!

Rijdt je elektrische step sneller dan 20 km/u? Dan is een helm vanaf 1 september verplicht, ook als je op dat moment trager rijdt. Je kiest zelf wat voor type helm, zolang de achterkant van je hoofd en je slapen bedekt zijn. pic.twitter.com/UCaILasTZG

— Politie Leuven (@PolitieLeuven) August 31, 2026

Now officials hope to address the scourge with a blanket rule: if the scooter is capable of reaching speeds above 20 km per hour, the rider must wear a helmet. The rule seeks to remove any questions about speed detection or enforcement, with the emphasis simply placed on the capability of the transport device, rather than the speed it is travelling at any given time.

Former scooter industry lobbyist Peter Beckett, writing in The Brussels Times, has argued that the government is getting its response wrong. He highlights that the 26% increase in accident numbers recorded between 2024 and 2025 came as shared scooter trips also increased by 26%. But the long-recognised worldwide standard for measuring road safety is per million inhabitants, not per trip, in order to capture the overall burden placed on a whole society by the way people behave on the roads.

When it comes to that burden, the advent of thousands of scooters on Belgian streets has caused not only safety worries, but also a growing public outcry over clutter from discarded scooters in parks, woodlands, and streets, as well as their impact on street accessibility, especially for people with reduced vision or mobility.

#SécuritéRoutière

Qui est concerné par l’obligation du port du casque ?

Trottinettes électriques, gyropodes, hoverboards, monoroues… l’obligation concerne les utilisateurs d’engins de déplacement personnel motorisés (EDPM).

Dans le Nord, le port du casque deviendra… pic.twitter.com/e21tyVEgDy

— Préfecture de la région Hauts-de-France et du Nord (@prefet59) August 27, 2026

Scooters that can travel above 25 km per hour are already prohibited in the Belgian capital, Brussels, and rentable e-scooters, such as fleets belonging to Bolt, Dott, and Lime, have been banned. The ban was due to come into effect in September 2026, though they remain on the streets until December 2026 under a transition arrangement.

Personal scooters, rather than shared ones, are still permitted, but riders must respect the same rules: they must comply with the maximum speed of 25 km per hour and wear a helmet if the device is capable of reaching over 20 km per hour. No one under 16 is permitted to ride a scooter, according to the law.

Meanwhile, rules about bicycles and helmets do not follow the same logic. Bike helmets are optional in Belgium for adults and children, even if the bike can reach 25 km per hour. Helmets are compulsory for e-bikes capable of travelling above that speed. Until recently, much Belgian advice on bike safety centred on “riding style” as a way to prevent accidents. Around a thousand injuries involving bikes occur per year in Brussels alone.

Belgium’s road safety statistics in general have long been cause for scrutiny, with the country sitting in the middle of the regional table, recording around double the number of fatalities per million inhabitants annually compared with safety leaders such as Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

L’article Belgium makes helmets mandatory for electric scooters exceeding 20 km/h est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Farmers, landowners, firefighters, and cross-party lawmakers are supporting moves towards a ban on sales of disposable barbecue equipment as a way to reduce the chances of wildfires being ignited by sparks, discarded charcoal, and matches.

Please don't bring BBQs into our parks!

Disposable and portable BBQs can:

Cause grass fires
Damage parkland and wildlife habitats
Leave dangerous hot surfaces behind

A single spark can spread quickly during hot, dry weather.

Help us protect Birmingham's green… pic.twitter.com/c593V6Xvlq

— Birmingham City Council (@BhamCityCouncil) August 2, 2026

The landowners’ Country Land and Business Association (CLA), is backing a barbecue ban but wants to reintroduce “controlled burning” which it says would help to manage the vegetation that can feed fires but has been prohibited in England under wildlife and carbon emissions laws.

National Farmers Union deputy chief, Paul Tompkins, has pointed to the additional risk that unintentional fires pose to harvests and farmers’ livelihoods, coming on top of poor yields, saying: “A stray match or single spark, and months of hard work can be wiped out in just minutes; crops destroyed and harvest ruined, vital machinery and infrastructure damaged and livestock put at serious risk.”

56% of Britons would support a ban on the sale of disposable barbecues, amid wildfires across the UK triggering renewed calls for supermarkets to stop selling them during summer months

Support: 56%
Oppose: 25% pic.twitter.com/tKrkoMJLOb

— YouGov (@YouGov) August 4, 2026

Tompkins also highlighted the potential lasting impact of wildfires for the sector: “Beyond the immediate losses, there could be long-term consequences for soil health, grassland productivity and confidence of farm businesses already facing significant pressures,” he said.

He is urging shops to stop sales of disposable barbecues, and, going further, wants local authorities to head off public demand by bringing in rules against lighting barbecues, campfires, and camping stoves. The Liberal Democrat party and some Labour MPs are supporting that campaign, alongside a range of big retailers who have already ceased selling such items in line with guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).

Asda has paused disposable barbecue sales nationwide, Co-op and Morrison’s have introduced temporary bans, Sainsbury’s has pulled all single-use barbecues, and Tesco has also stopped sales. Meanwhile, retailers such as Aldi, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, and Waitrose already prohibit such products.

Some smaller retailers, DIY stores, and online sellers, however, are still offering them for purchase.

From Welsh valleys and national parks to Scottish and Northern Irish mountains and coastal Suffolk, where all eyes were on a blaze near Sizewell B nuclear facility, wildfires have occurred throughout the UK in 2026, with 393 responses from English and Welsh fire crews in July alone.

While the government has so far resisted an outright ban on barbecues, for UK residents and leisure visitors who want to avoid being the cause of wildfire catastrophes, both the NFCC guidance and the reduced availability of equipment on sale mean adjusting outdoor eating plans to take a prepared picnic instead, or eat at a nearby establishment, rather than lighting up cooking equipment in the wild.

High Peak MP Jon Pearce said: “This isn’t about stopping people enjoying the outdoors. It’s about protecting our countryside, supporting our firefighters and preventing avoidable fires before they start.”

L’article Wildfire risk raises pressure to ban disposable barbecues in England and Wales est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since 2011, unusually large amounts of sargassum have been washing ashore across the Caribbean, Central America, South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The phenomenon has transformed from a seasonal natural event into a recurring problem affecting beaches, marine ecosystems and communities that depend on the ocean.

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Публикация от Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. (@whoi.ocean)

For travellers, the arrival of sargassum can significantly change the experience of a beach holiday. Large piles of brown seaweed can cover coastlines, making some beaches less attractive for visitors. As the seaweed decomposes, it releases gases including hydrogen sulfide, which creates a strong smell often compared to rotten eggs.

“Travelers don’t like the smell, and it affects our beautiful beaches,” says Javier Pizaña-Alonso, CORAL’s Program Manager in Cozumel. The impact goes beyond the appearance of beaches, as coastal businesses, hotels, fishing activities and local communities also face the consequences of large-scale sargassum arrivals.

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Публикация от Telesur Yucatán (@telesuryuc)

Sargassum itself is not a harmful organism. The floating brown seaweed naturally exists in the Atlantic Ocean, especially in the Sargasso Sea, where it provides shelter and food for many marine species. Floating mats create a unique ecosystem containing fish, shrimp, crabs and many smaller organisms.

“A floating sargassum mat is much more than just seaweed. It is like a floating city,” researchers explain. These floating ecosystems can support marine life while drifting through the ocean. The problem begins when the amount of seaweed becomes too large and reaches the coastline, where it starts decomposing and affecting water quality.

Scientists have spent years trying to understand why the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has grown so quickly. Previous research focused on several possible causes, including nutrient pollution from agriculture, changes in ocean temperatures, stronger ocean currents and dust particles travelling from the Sahara Desert.

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Публикация от Gabriel Quito Hernández Castro (@quito239)

New research suggests that these factors may have helped trigger the first major blooms, but the process has now changed. According to scientists, sargassum may have developed a self-sustaining system where the seaweed helps collect and recycle nutrients that support future growth.

The researchers describe this process as a type of natural cycle. Animals living around the floating mats consume organic material and release nutrients back into the ecosystem. As older sargassum breaks down, those nutrients become available for new growth, allowing future blooms to continue developing.

To test this theory, scientists created a mathematical model that included the different processes influencing sargassum growth. The model successfully reproduced previous blooms between 2011 and 2022 and accurately predicted the development of blooms in 2023 and 2024, supporting the idea that the seaweed belt has become more persistent.

The scale of the problem has increased rapidly in recent years. Under favourable conditions, sargassum can grow extremely quickly. “Under these conditions, blooms can double in size in about 18 days,” says Pizaña-Alonso. Large quantities of seaweed can block harbours, disrupt fishing activities and create low-oxygen conditions that threaten marine ecosystems.

Coral reefs are particularly vulnerable. When large amounts of decomposing sargassum reach shallow coastal waters, they can reduce water quality and contribute to conditions that are harmful to reef-building corals. This is especially concerning in regions where tourism depends heavily on healthy marine environments.

However, researchers are also exploring whether the seaweed problem could become an opportunity. Sargassum is increasingly being studied as a possible resource within the blue economy, an approach that focuses on using ocean resources sustainably while protecting marine ecosystems.

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Публикация от Ahian Coronel | Playa del Carmen (@ahianvlog)

Possible uses include producing biofuels, creating natural fertilisers and developing sustainable construction materials. In Barbados, researchers have explored ways to combine collected sargassum with wastewater from the rum industry to produce biofuel. In Mexico, scientists and entrepreneurs have tested construction products made partly from the seaweed.

Although completely preventing future blooms may be difficult, better forecasting could help destinations prepare for their arrival. Early warning systems could give coastal communities more time to organise clean-up efforts and protect tourism activities.

As scientists continue studying the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, the challenge will be finding ways to manage the growing amounts of seaweed while recognising its role in ocean ecosystems. What was once considered only a coastal nuisance may become both a challenge and a resource for the future of sustainable tourism.

L’article Caribbean beaches face growing sargassum challenge as scientists warn blooms may persist est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Covering 13,000 hectares, the forest will have three different areas, comprising “natural forests”, where natural processes are left to occur; “near-natural forests” where forestry practices will be minimised; and the largest 8,000-hectare space, dedicated to “social forests”, designed to promote exercise, leisure, and wellbeing opportunities, including cycling and hiking trails.

Describing the forest’s creation as an “historic moment and the beginning of a new approach to forest protection,” climate and environment minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska said the scheme had been conceived “with residents in mind first and foremost.”

Cities represent just two percent of the Earth’s surface but are responsible for 70% of carbon emissions. With the United Nations predicting two-thirds of humans will reside in cities by 2050, experts say “rewilding” will enhance the air that we breathe, boost our mental health, as well as biodiversity, and limit the impacts of climate change. 

Hennig-Kloska also highlighted the many benefits of woodland areas, adding: “Community forests are places where residents can relax, play sports and simply spend time close to nature,” she added. “At the same time, they are crucial to our security and quality of life: they retain water, regulate the climate, purify the air and protect the soil.”

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The ten other sites where community forests are undergoing planning permissions are near the cities of: Bielsko-Biała, also known as Podbeskidzie and Little Vienna for its architectural gems; the northern Tricity area, comprising Gdańsk, Gdynia, and Sopot, on the shore of Gdańsk Bay; the former southern industrial powerhouse, Katowice; as well as Kielce, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań, Szczecin, Toruń-Bydgoszcz and Warsaw. Kielce and Bielsko-Biała are reported by the Polish Press Agency to be the first in the pipeline after Wroclaw.

The environmental work is part of moves by Poland’s current government to unpick many of the previous Law & Justice regime’s moves, seen as authoritarian and right-wing, and criticised by the European Union as against the rule of law. The country had fallen foul of EU habitat protection laws by permitting commercial logging, including in the ancient UNESCO World Heritage site of Białowieża Forest, where the former government had allowed logging activity to triple—an issue that led to national and international controversy.

L’article Poland to create vast community forests around 11 major cities est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Brussels has closed to vehicles on one Sunday per year since September 1999, in a Mobility Week initiative to draw attention to the impact of vehicle traffic and pollution on the city, reduce car use, and highlight alternative ways people can get around.

Often taking place in early autumn, the event’s 2026 edition is no exception, scheduled for 20 September this year. For 2027, an additional date in May is on the cards. However, original proposals for the additional Car-Free Sunday to fall on 9 May 2027 have caused some backlash, with critics pointing out that it coincides with significant spring holidays and risks making the city inaccessible to visitors during that time.

The “Non au plan Good Move Committee” said the choice of “the spring half-term for French-speaking schools, a period when many families take the opportunity to travel, visit relatives or spend time together” was not optimal and noted: “above all, it would also coincide with Mother’s Day. In practical terms, this means that families who sometimes travel from afar to visit their mothers, parents or grandparents in Brussels will once again face roadblocks, restrictions and additional complications.”

In response, the regional government has opted for 2 May 2027 instead, according to reporting in Le Soir, but the move still faces another hurdle in the form of approval by all of the capital’s 19 municipalities.

If it goes ahead, there will be two days in the yearly calendar, probably in May and September, when the Belgian capital becomes Europe’s largest no-car zone. Brussels transport operator STIB offers reinforced and free public transport on those days.

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Публикация от Travel Tomorrow (@traveltomorrow.eu)

Exemptions to the ban are issued for public transport, taxis, buses, emergency and security forces, as well as for diplomatic vehicles. For everyone else, it’s no cars from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm, and authorities advise that “the closing and the re-opening of the entrances to the Region and the tunnels will happen gradually. Therefore, there might be some traffic nuisance outside these times.”

Officials also warn that “As a result of the activities and celebrations, the streets in certain neighbourhoods might also be closed longer. So it is no use hurrying to the entrances to Brussels; this is to avoid congestion and safety problems.” 

The Brussels Mobility service describes the day as “an opportunity to (re)discover the pleasure of walking, riding on a bike or scooter, or travelling on public transport in a peaceful and pleasant city.”

L’article Brussels could double car-free Sundays from 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Brighton’s seafront area is well-known to both locals and tourists alike. Behind the pebbled beach, visitors can marvel at a long series of iron and brick arches. Those structures, which date back to the Victorian era (1860-1880, to be precise), support the King’s Road located just above.

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Every day, some 22,000 drivers and 1,500 cyclists take the King’s Road to Brighton Pier, Brighton Beach, and the i360 observation tower. Yet after more than a century, the road’s structure is at risk as the arches are in dire need of restoration.

Since 2014, part of the seafront arches have already been renovated over three phases. The first phase created shops and new public toilets from 26 arches; the second phase saw the strengthening of a further 33 arches between The Seahorse restaurant and the West Pier, and the third phase saw the creation of Shelter Hall, new public toilets located on the lower promenade, with a new walkway and sea wall.

The UK government has now announced it will be putting £22 million towards phases 4 and 5, while the Brighton City Council will be adding £3.9 million. Phase 4 will be focusing on an area between the bandstand and the i360, while phase 5 will move to the area west of Shelter Hall.

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Aside from structural work to safeguard the road and seafront, the money will also be used to create usable spaces for cafés, shops, and galleries. Such additions should add to the charm of the town.

“This funding means we can strengthen the Victorian-era arches so they can support the road, pavement and cycle lane on one of the city’s busiest routes for another 100 years. But we’ll also be able to create a better home for local businesses in this vibrant space on the seafront and, working with local communities, look at options for a new and improved King’s Road paddling pool area,” said Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure.

While the fourth phase is estimated to be completed somewhere over the course of 2027, the Shelter Hall phase should be done by 2029. By then, the area should be good to go again for at least a century.

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“Brighton is home to a whole host of attractions, from its iconic beach and legendary pier to the fantastic local businesses dotted across the nearby lanes. This funding will mean that everyone can continue to enjoy all of these for the next 120 years by revamping the Victorian arches that dozens of businesses along the seafront call home – boosting growth across Brighton,” added Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood.

Moreover, another £26 million has been attributed to the Brighton and Hove City Council in order to help fix potholes on roads in the area over the next four years.

L’article Brighton seafront to undergo £22 million renovation est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.