Appendix 8 - Stakeholder and Public Consultation Summary: Key concerns and route specific comments and responses

General

Comment/Issue raised	Response
Could the cost of the scheme be better spent repairing the existing infrastructure?	The Local Growth Fund monies available to deliver this scheme was secured as part of the wider Hastings and Bexhill Movement and Access Package. The business case for package set out that the funding would be used to deliver walking, cycling, public transport and traffic management schemes in the Hastings and Bexhill area and is not available for repairing existing infrastructure.
The scheme will reduce the capacity for motorists leading to increased queues	The proposed design options put forward have been modelled using a number of specific junction testing programmes. The results of which have demonstrated that the proposed layouts will provide less congestion and improve vehicle movability. With regard to the design proposals specific to Buckhurst Place/Sackville Road junction, the proposed mini roundabout arrangement at this junction will improve the traffic management, given the current poor road marking and infrastructure that is currently located here. This proposed roundabout will in turn help navigate visitors and local resident’s safety.
The scheme will encourage higher vehicle speeds	The aim of the scheme is to improve the pedestrian environment and traffic management in the London Road corridor and thereby help to reduce rather than encourage vehicle speeds. As part of the feasibility design process a number of specific checks/tests are required. One such method, includes that of a Road Safety Audit (RSA Stage 1). This has been undertaken by an independent road safety engineer who has reviewed the proposed design option, which has confirmed this has been designed in accordance with the relevant design specifications as per Department for Transport (DfT) as is acceptable.
The scheme will create traffic impacts elsewhere within Bexhill, especially for emergency services, could traffic signals be installed instead of mini roundabouts.	All design options have been modelled with their results proving favourable in all scenarios tested. Because of the close proximity to the A259/A269 junction, National Highways approved all the design options and modelling work for the Beeching Road/London Road mini roundabout in March 2021. The results of which concurred that the proposed roundabout design option operates within capacity in all identified peak hours.
General maintenance and inadequate highway infrastructure issues around the Bexhill area.	General maintenance issues have been passed onto our Highways team. Requests for improving highway infrastructure in Bexhill will need to be assessed through our scheme prioritisation process to determine whether they should be considered for inclusion in a future year of the Capital Programme of Local Transport Improvements

Beeching Road/London Road mini roundabout

At the Beeching Road / London Road junction, the proposed design is to provide a mini roundabout to improve traffic management and reduce the risk of queued traffic extending to London Road’s junction with the A259.

In addition to this main design change, the proposed highway layout includes improving the pedestrian crossing point located across Beeching Road, resurfacing footways in a red tarmac material and including red ‘gateway’ surfacing material on the carriageway in London Road.

Comment/Issue raised	Response
Have alternative design options been looked at? i.e., traffic signals	During the feasibility stage, the proposed design option was modelled using a number of specific junction testing programmes. The results of these have demonstrated that the proposed layout will provide less congestion and improve vehicle movability at the London Road junction with Beeching Road. Due to the proximity of the A259/London Road junction, these modelling results have been discussed and validated with National Highways (formerly Highways England).
Will the mini-roundabout proposal improve traffic flow?
The right turn into Beeching Road from the northern end of London Road is currently difficult to achieve, at times delaying the traffic flow from Combe Valley Way. If the proposed mini roundabout assists this, thereby improving the flow of traffic down London Road in a southerly direction, that is to be welcomed
Could additional landscaping be incorporated within the proposed design?”	The County Council have liaised with National Highways concerning a number of parcels of land that fall outside of the County Council’s Road network/boundary, however these landscaping options are currently ongoing

Buckhurst Place/Sackville Road mini roundabout

The proposed design is to provide a mini roundabout at this junction to improve traffic management and issues of queuing traffic backing up along London Road onto the junction with the A259.

In addition to this main design change, the proposed highway layout includes improving the pedestrian crossing point located across Beeching Road, resurfacing footways in a red tarmac material (as used elsewhere in the town) and including a red ‘gateway’ surfacing material on the carriageway in London Road.

Comment/Issue raised

Response

Can the mini roundabout have a raised profile to deter approaching vehicle speeds

As part of the design process, a number of individual studies are undertaken, using such data sources as personal injury collision data and vehicle speed data. This helped determine if there is an existing problem of vehicles exceeding the speed limit. From the datasets collected, the study area does not suffer from high vehicle speeds and as a result the current configuration put forward (e.g., not a raised profile) is therefore sufficient.