"Please don't travel to Lewes on bonfire night" - request from officials

Non-residents are being urged not to travel to Lewes on Bonfire Night due to ongoing concerns around overcrowding of the town's narrow streets.

Linda Farley, from Lewes District Council said: “We work closely with other organisations and with crowd control experts to identify where there may be problems with over-crowding. We will have stewards working on the night, giving people advice on areas to avoid, and we ask that anyone who chooses to attend follows this guidance to help keep people safer.We also ask attendees to refrain from littering and encourage people take recyclable waste home.”

Tom Walby, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Group Manager added: “We would ask that you head to locally organised fireworks events rather than coming to Lewes, as crowded streets make it harder for us to get to people in an emergency. We also want to remind people of the Fireworks Code to help us all have a safe night.”

A number of injuries have been reported in previous years, with people hurt on the procession route and by bangers and other fireworks.

Chief Superintendent Katy Woolford said: “Sussex Police officers will be working closely with event organisers, stewarding teams and our partners to ensure Lewes Bonfire Night is a safe and enjoyable occasion for everyone. “Each year we make arrests for offences such as assaults, criminal damage and drug possession – this behaviour will not be tolerated. Enforcement action will be taken against anyone who puts others at risk or ignores event restrictions, including those bringing their own fireworks. Our priority is to keep everyone safe and ensure the night runs smoothly. “Anyone who sees suspicious behaviour or something that doesn’t seem right should report it to stewards, officers on patrol, or call 999 in an emergency.”

Restrictions on the roads and rails

Access restrictions will be in place from late afternoon on Wednesday 5 November with parking restrictions in force from 12pm.

Residents are advised to have their vehicles home by 4pm, the following roads will be closed from 4.45pm:

• A27 junction with A277 Brighton Road (Ashcombe Roundabout)
• A275 Offham Road with B2116 Plumpton Road
• C7 Kingston Road junction with C324 Wellgreen Lane 
• A26 junction with A2029 Malling Street 
• A26 Church Lane junction with Church Mayhew Way

The A27 will remain open to through traffic.

Trains will not stop at Lewes, Falmer, Cooksbridge, Glynde or Southease after 5pm until the following morning. The last trains to stop at these stations will leave London Victoria at 15.24 and 15.54.

Bus services that serve Lewes will also be diverted.