Eastbourne

Eastbourne is a large town and borough of East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 97,992 as of 2009. The area has seen human activity since the stone age and it remained one of small settlements until the 19th century when its four hamlets gradually merged to form a town. Assisted by the arrival of the railway, Eastbourne became a prime Victorian seaside resort and still is today.

Eastbourne is situated at the eastern end of the South Downs alongside the famous Beachy Head cliff. The sheltered position of the main town behind the cliff contributes to Eastbourne's title of sunniest place in Great Britain.

Although Eastbourne has some industrial trading estates, it is essentially a seaside resort and derives its main income from tourism. Its facilities include four theatres, numerous parks, a bandstand and museums. The focus of the tourism trade is the four miles (6 km) of shingle beach, lined with a seafront of hotels and guest houses.

Eastbourne is connected to London by the A22 road, traffic for Brighton and Hove and Hastings uses the nearby A27 road. The most common form of transport throughout the town is the car, exacerbated by the number of tourists and commuters travelling in and out. Of the total daily commute, 62.4% travel by car, 13.5% by foot and 6% of the journeys are taken by bus. As part of the Council transport plan measures are being taken to reduce the amount of car usage, which has had positive results in Eastbourne, when compared to the rest of the county.