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Report to:
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Lead Member for
Transport and Environment
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Date of
meeting:
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13 December
2021
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By:
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Director of
Communities, Economy and Transport
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Title:
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Petition for improved
safety measures – Robertson’s Hill, Hastings
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Purpose:
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To consider a petition
requesting improved safety measures on Robertson’s Hill,
Hastings.
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RECOMMENDATION: The
Lead Member is recommended to advise petitioners that:
A potential scheme to
provide:
·
A one-way
system
·
A footway
outside of Nos. 1-3 Robertson’s Hill,
·
Traffic calming
measures including a 20mph speed limit, speed bumps, width
restriction and/or a priority working system,
has been assessed
through our approved High Level Sift process and is not a priority
for the County Council at the present time; and consideration could
be given to an application to the Community Match Initiative for
local highway improvements.
1
Background Information
1.1.
At the County Council meeting on 23 July 2021, a petition was
presented to the Chairman by Councillor Godfrey Daniel and
Councillor Julia Hilton on behalf of a group of residents of the
Robertson’s Hill area of Hastings. The petitioners request
improved safety measures on Robertson’s Hill by the
introduction of one of the following:
·
Implement a one-way
system from the bottom of Robertson’s Hill to the top,
including Hardwicke Road
·
Provide a footway
outside of numbers 1, 2 and 3 Robertson’s Hill.
·
Implement traffic
calming measures including a 20mph speed limit, speed bumps, a
width restriction and/or a priority working system.
1.2.
A copy of the petition is available in the Members’ Room.
Standing Orders provide that where the Chairman considers it
appropriate, petitions are considered by the relevant Committee or
Lead Member and a spokesperson for the petitioners is invited to
address the Committee. The Chairman has referred this petition to
the Lead Member for Transport and Environment.
2 Supporting
Information
2.
2.1.
Robertson’s Hill is covered by a 30mph speed limit as
indicated by the system of street lighting in the road. It is a
residential road with a footway on the western side. The properties
fronting Robertson’s Hill are on the opposite side of the
road to the footway. A location plan and site images can be found
at Appendix 1.
2.2.
Crash data supplied by Sussex Police for the period 01/10/2018
– 30/09/2021 shows that there have been no crashes resulting
in personal injury within Robertson’s Hill, with two slight
injury crashes recorded at the junction with the A259. The location
of these crashes is shown at Appendix 2 by the green squares.
2.3.
The County Council has a limited amount of funding to develop local
transport improvements and we need to ensure that we target our
resources to those schemes which will be of greatest benefit to our
local communities. To help us prioritise the numerous requests
received for improvements, we developed a process to determine
which schemes should be funded through our Integrated Transport
Programme. The request for a one-way system, a footway outside Nos.
1-3 Robertson’s Hill, a 20mph speed limit and associated
traffic calming measures and/or a width restriction have been
assessed to determine if they might be a priority for further
consideration. The proposal(s) did not meet the benchmark score to
enable them to be taken forward.
2.4.
In relation to concerns about dangerous or anti-social driving, or
vehicles travelling in excess of the speed limit, residents are
advised to contact Sussex Police via the Operation Crackdown
scheme. Residents are also advised to consider using the Community
Speed Watch programme.
2.5
Whilst the
introduction of improved safety measures on Robertson’s Hill
is not a priority for the County Council at the present time, an
application through the Community Match Initiative could be
considered. It is therefore suggested that the residents contact
Hastings Borough Council to see whether they would support an
investigation into the feasibility of the introduction of such
measures. Details of the Community Match Initiative and the costs
associated with a feasibility study and speed surveys can be
provided if required.
3 Conclusion
and Reasons for Recommendations
3.
3.1.
It is recommended that the Lead Member for Transport and
Environment agrees that the implementation of a one-way system,
20mph speed restriction with associated traffic calming and a width
restriction, as requested by the petitioners, is not presently a
priority for funding from the County Council’s
budget.
Director of Communities, Economy
and Transport
Contact Officer:
Victoria Bartholomew
Tel. No. 01424 724284
Email: Victoria.Bartholomew@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL
MEMBERS
Councillor
Hilton
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENTS
None