Brighton and Hove City Council has made a temporary traffic order for the junction of Elm Grove and Queens Park Road in Brighton, in force from Monday 2 November 2026. It lets contractors close stretches of Elm Grove and Queens Park Road, and three side roads, while the junction is rebuilt. The council says the roads will not be closed all of the time and that construction is due to start later this year.
Correction, 6 November 2026: this article first said the junction had been closed since 2 November. The traffic order only gives the council the power to close the roads from that date. In a statement to ImJustBrighton on 5 November, the council said the order covers the whole construction period and does not mean the roads will be closed all of the time. We have corrected the article.
Quick facts
Traffic order in force from: Monday 2 November 2026.
How long the order lasts: eighteen months, or until the works finish if that is sooner.
When the works are due to finish: the council's notice anticipates completion on 28 February 2027. The council's project page says construction should run from December to early spring 2027.
When construction starts: "later this year", the council says. Exact dates have not been given.
Roads covered by the order: Elm Grove, Queens Park Road, Bernard Road, Totland Road and Sandown Road.
On foot: pedestrian access is maintained.
In a vehicle: a signed diversion route will be in place when roads are closed.
Buses: the council expects buses to operate as usual for most of the works.
Who pays: a mix of council funding, government grants and contributions from Southern Water.
What the council told ImJustBrighton
ImJustBrighton put questions about the scheme to the council press office on 4 November, including the cost, the start and finish dates, the diversions, bus routes and a contact for residents. The council replied on 5 November with this statement from Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure.
"This project will improve a key junction, enhance road safety and introduce rain gardens to help manage surface water. It represents a key investment we've made in the city's infrastructure and resilience.
"Funded through a combination of council funding, government grants and contributions from Southern Water, the scheme will improve safety for all, reduce flood risk and help support the wider natural environment.
"The Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) published recently is a significant step in the process, securing the permissions needed to manage traffic safely while construction takes place.
"We will be sharing full details of the construction programme with residents shortly, including start dates, the duration of any road closures and how the works will be delivered. The expectation is that construction will begin later this year and continue until spring.
"It is important to stress that the TTRO covers the entire construction period and does not mean roads will be closed all of the time. We also expect buses to operate as usual for most of the works.
"This is an important project that will deliver lasting improvements for residents and forms part of our ongoing commitment to improving the city's infrastructure and road network."
The statement did not give a total cost, exact start dates, the length of each closure, which bus routes could be affected, or a named contact for residents. The council says full details of the construction programme will be shared with residents shortly.
Which roads the order covers
Elm Grove: about 120 metres in both directions from its junction with Queens Park Road.
Queens Park Road: about 100 metres from its junction with Elm Grove.
Side roads: Bernard Road, Totland Road and Sandown Road, at their junctions with Elm Grove.
Totland Road: the one-way order is suspended for the whole length of the road while it is closed, so residents can keep access.
How long the order lasts
The council gave notice of the order on 21 October 2026, at least seven days before it took effect. It was made under section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which allows councils to close roads temporarily for works.
The order runs for eighteen months, or until the works are finished if that is sooner. The notice says the council anticipates the works will be complete on 28 February 2027. The council's statement and its project page both point to construction running from late this year until spring 2027, and the council stresses that the order covers the whole construction period and does not mean the roads will be closed all of the time.
Why the junction is being rebuilt
The council asked residents for their views on the design in the winter of 2024. Its project page for the Elm Grove and Queens Park Road junction says the design aims to upgrade old signals infrastructure and improve the layout of the junction, with the aim of making it safer, particularly for pedestrians, greener and more efficient for traffic flow. Councillor Muten's statement adds rain gardens to help manage surface water.
The traffic order details come from Brighton and Hove City Council's temporary traffic order notice for Elm Grove and Queens Park Road, dated 21 October 2026. The statement, funding and bus details come from the council press office's reply to ImJustBrighton on 5 November 2026, and the construction programme from the council's project page.
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