Report to:	Lead Member for Transport and Environment
Date of meeting:	14 March 2022
By:	Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
Title:	Petition recommending a review of the speed limits and safer crossing solutions on the A272 Station Road between North Chailey and Newick.
Purpose:	To consider the petition recommending a review of the speed limits and safer crossing solutions on the A272 Station Road between North Chailey and Newick.

RECOMMENDATIONS: The Lead Member is recommended to advise the petitioners that:

(1) An investigation into a lower speed limit on the A272 between North Chailey and Newick is not a priority for the County Council at the present time;

(2) A scheme to introduce safer crossing solutions does not meet the benchmark score for consideration within a future capital programme; and

(3) The petitioners may wish to contact Chailey Parish Council to determine their interest in a Feasibility Study and possible community funded measures through the Community Match scheme.

1 Background Information

1.1 At the County Council meeting on 7 December 2021, Councillor Matthew Milligan presented a petition to the Chairman of the Council. The petition states:

“On behalf of the many residents living on and near the A272, North Chailey, I am strongly recommending a review of the speed limits and safer crossing solutions. Sandwiched between a 30mph speed limit at the King’s Head roundabout, the speed limit at Station Road jumps to 50mph which many believe is too fast. Then when approaching Newick, it becomes 40mph and then 30mph. Recently we have seen new housing developments, and there is a need for an up-dated review of the speed and safety”.

A Location Plan is included in Appendix 1.

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

2.1 The A272 is subject to a 50mph speed limit between the existing 30mph speed limit at North Chailey and a point 45 metres west of Oxbottom Lane. It reduces to a 40mph speed limit between a point 45 metres west of Oxbottom Lane and the existing 30mph speed limit at Newick. The extent of the existing speed limits is shown in Appendix 2.

2.2 Two speed surveys have been carried out within the extent of the existing 50mph speed limit on the A272 Station Road. One survey was carried out approximately 25 metres west of

Hazeldene Lane, and another approximately 70 metres east of Lower Station Road. The surveys recorded the average two-way traffic flow to be 11,307 vehicles to the west of Hazeledene Lane, and 11,001 vehicles to the east of Lower Station Road between the 10 and 19 January 2022. The location and results of the surveys are shown in Appendix 3.

2.3 The survey carried out to the west of Hazeledene Lane, recorded the average speed of traffic to be 38mph westbound and 42mph eastbound, with 85^th percentile speeds (the speed that 85% of drivers are travelling at or below) of 44mph westbound and 50mph eastbound. The survey carried out to the east of Lower Station Road, recorded the average speed of traffic to be 38mph westbound and 42mph eastbound, with 85^th percentile speeds of 44mph westbound and 49mph eastbound. The results of the speed surveys are summarised in Appendix 3 and the full results are included in Appendix 4. The surveys indicate that the 50mph speed limit is well adhered to.

2.4 The recorded average speeds are in line with the threshold for a 40mph speed limit as defined by adopted policy. However, the difference between the average and 85^th percentile speeds would indicate some engineering/traffic management measures would be required to effectively slow down faster drivers in accordance with a lower speed limit.

2.5 The resources that are available for road safety are limited and priority must be given to locations with a history of personal injury crashes. To prioritise our work the Road Safety Team uses a three-year assessment period, this helps to ensure that our resources are targeted at locations that will produce the biggest impact in terms of casualty reduction.

2.6 There have not been any personal injury crashes reported to the Police in the latest available three-year period (01/01/2019 to 31/12/2021) within the extent of the 50mph speed limit on the A272 Station Road. There have been three slight personal injury crashes within the extent of the 40mph speed limit in the same time period. Only one of those crashes involved a speed related causation factor as defined by the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and none of the crashes involved a pedestrian. The location of the crashes is shown in Appendix 5.

2.7 As part of last year’s Road Safety Programme for Local Safety Sites, we identified 59 locations where at least four personal injury crashes occurred in the three-year study period of 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2020. These locations were within a 25 metre radius in urban areas, and a 50 metre radius in more rural locations, where crashes tend to be spread out over longer sections of road. The crash record on the section of A272 between the 30mph speed limit at North Chailey and the 30mph speed limit at Newick, does not identify the location as a current road safety priority for the County Council.

2.8 Previous assessments of the ‘A’ and ‘B’ class road network in the county, including the most recent Speed Management Programme, have also not identified the A272 between North Chailey and Newick as being a priority for further investigation.

2.9 There are three sets of bus stops with laybys on this part of the A272, near The Lodge, Lower Station Road and Allington Road. There is a continuous footway on the southern side of the road between North Chailey and Newick, and a footway on the northern side of the road between North Chailey and the bus stop to the west of Lower Station Road. The location of the bus stops, and extent of the footways is shown in Appendix 1.

2.10 A scheme to introduce safer crossing solutions on the A272 has been assessed, using the High Level Sift process, to see whether it might be a priority for future consideration as part

of the Capital Programme for Transport Improvements. However, it did not achieve the benchmark score required to enable a more detailed assessment to be taken forward.

2.11 Although a reduction in the speed limit, with some speed reducing measures, or safer crossing solutions on this part of the A272 are not identified priorities for the County Council, the petitioners may wish to contact Chailey Parish Council to determine their interest in a community funded scheme. A Feasibility Study would need to be commissioned at a cost of £500 plus VAT.

3 Conclusion and Reasons for Recommendations

3.1 It is recommended that the Petitioners be advised that a lower speed limit on the A272 between North Chailey and Newick is not an identified current priority for the County Council.

3.2 It is recommended that the Petitioners be advised that a scheme to introduce safer crossing solutions does not meet the benchmark score required for consideration within a future capital programme.

3.3 Although a lower speed limit or safer crossing solutions on this part of the A272 are not an identified current priority for the County Council, the petitioners may wish to contact Chailey Parish Council to determine their interest in a community funded scheme.

RUPERT CLUBB

Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

Contact Officer: Michael Higgs
Tel.No. 01273 482106

Email: michael.higgs@eastsussex.gov.uk

LOCAL MEMBER:

Councillor Matthew Milligan

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:

None