18/08/2026
Recent and continuing warm weather has attracted significant numbers of visitors to Brighton - the UK's famous and unique seaside destination.
This should not surprise and with predictions that recent heatwaves will become the new norm, similar major surges in visitor numbers should be anticipated, with thousands of day-trippers and sunseekers, converging towards the shoreline and seafront Promenade, Piers, Venues, Events and Attractions.
However, Brighton's seafront built environment, landscape and civic infrastructure struggles to cope and therefore must be adapted to ensure that visitors, residents and businesses enjoy a positive, sustained and successful outcome into the future. Some improvements have and continue to be made to the upper and lower promenade - but the City's principal seafront access, egress, distribution and circulation is not adequate to, not only cope with current visitation but importantly gain the social, environmental and economic benefits from future anticipated visitation.
In 2010 ray hole architects proposed a primary transportation system to operate between the (recently renamed) Brighton City Airport and Brighton Marina.
The objective was to principally;
• Reduce the volume of traffic along the seafront
• Exploit the parking capacity at both terminuses
• Promote a network of scheduled stops along the route - which would enhance and encourage development
• Transform a road vehicle-centric seafront into a visitor-centric seafront promenade.
• Develop a new and high-quality visitor experience - whilst operating a reliable transport service - where the journey is as enjoyable as the destination
• Improve access and circulation for visitors, businesses and even residents
The image illustrates one of the principal stops outside the Brighton Centre. Other similar stops would serve both the Palace and West Piers(i360) and other significant locations along the route.
