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Report to:
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Lead Member for
Transport & Environment
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Date of
meeting:
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13 June
2022
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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 to consider
Road Safety at Eridge Green (A26)
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Purpose:
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To consider a petition
requesting road safety improvements for all users be made on the
A26 Eridge Green
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Lead
Member is recommended to advise the petitioners
that:
(1)
A pedestrian
crossing on the A26 at Eridge Green is not a priority for East
Sussex County Council at the present time;
(2)
A reduction of the
existing 40mph speed limit on the A26 at Eridge Green is not a
priority for East Sussex County Council at the present
time;
(3)
The implementation
of traffic calming on an ‘A’ class road would not be
supported by emergency services as this would affect their response
times;
(4)
Improvements to the
junction of Sham Farm Road is not a priority for East Sussex County
Council at the present time;
(5)
Although not a
priority for East Sussex County Council, a request for measures
could be put forward via the Parish Council requesting a
Feasibility Study and using the Community Match Initiative;
and
(6)
The implementation
of Pedestrian warning signs will be assessed against national
criteria and guidance.
(7)
East Sussex
Highways have been asked to assess the condition of the road
markings in the area and make improvements where
appropriate.
1
Background Information
1.1.
At the County Council meeting on 08 February 2022, a petition was
presented to the Chairman by Councillor Georgia Taylor from a group
of residents calling on the County Council to improve road safety
for all road users on the A26 Eridge Green by:
·
Providing a safe
crossing;
·
Slowing down
traffic;
·
Providing safe passage
for cyclists, wheelchair users and walkers.
1.2.
A copy of the petition is available in the Members’
Room. Standing Orders provide that where the Chair 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.
Eridge Green is situated on the A26 between Crowborough and the
border of Tunbridge Wells (Kent County Council), as shown on the
location plan set out in Appendix 1.
2.2.
The A26 Eridge Green is predominantly rural in nature with
properties set back from the road. The property accesses onto the
A26 serve as an indication to drivers of the need to reduce their
speed. The existing 40mph speed limit is in line with national
guidance and adopted Policy PS05-02 (attached as Appendix 2) and is
considered appropriate.
2.3.
When entering the 40mph speed limit travelling northwards, the
‘40’ signs are yellow backed with a village nameplate
reading ‘Eridge – Please drive carefully’ beneath
the terminal sign on the right-hand side. Adjacent to the terminal
sign (left hand side) is red surfacing and a ‘40’
roundel within this, all of which highlights the speed limit to
drivers. There is also a Vehicle Activated Sign opposite the
property ‘The Hollies’ which reads ’40 SLOW
DOWN’ should vehicles be exceeding the speed limit. On the
southbound approach, there are yellow backed 40mph speed limit
signs.
2.4.
At the present time, East Sussex
County Council has very limited funding available for assessing the
effectiveness of a speed limit or for considering lower speed
limits. The only resources currently available are from a wider
road safety review that is being targeted at the ‘A’
and ‘B’ roads in the county with a killed and serious
injury (KSI) crash rate above the county average. The latest crash
record shows that there have been no personal injury crashes
between Sham Farm Road and Eridge Church over the most recent
three-year period and as such, it would not be a priority for us to
consider above other sites. Any traffic calming proposals on an A
class road is also likely to be objected to by the emergency
services, passenger transport providers and the freight
industry.
2.5.
The County Council has a limited amount of funding to develop local
transport improvements and needs to ensure that resources are
allocated to those schemes which will be of greatest benefit to
local communities. To help prioritise the numerous requests for
improvements, a process was developed to determine which schemes
should be funded through an Integrated Transport Programme
2.6.
A request for a pedestrian crossing on the A26 Eridge Green has
been assessed to determine if it might be a priority for future
consideration; however, it did not achieve the benchmark score to
be taken forward at this time.
2.7.
In light of residents’ ongoing concerns regarding crossing
the road at this location, a request for a pedestrian crossing has
also been assessed through the ‘Community Match
Underspend’ scheme. However, as there is only a footway on
the eastern side, to create a crossing point here would require the
introduction of new footway which would exceed the £40,000
cap that has been introduced to ensure that this project targets
small-scale works, allowing the County Council to deliver several
schemes of local importance. A pedestrian crossing therefore does
not meet the criteria for funding under the Community Match
Underspend scheme.
2.8.
It is noted that visibility to the
right when exiting Sham Farm Road onto the A26 is restricted due to
the bend in the road. For those drivers approaching the junction
heading south on the A26, the junction is signed with a yellow
backed junction warning sign with a ‘SLOW’ marking on
the carriageway adjacent to this to highlight to drivers there is a
junction ahead. The Police Crash Record for the most recent
three-year period shows that there have been no personal injury
crashes at this location. In light of the above, this junction
would not be a priority for us to investigate above other sites
where there have been incidents of people killed or seriously
injured.
2.9.
It is noted that the lines and signs
in the area are in need of attention, and this has been passed to
colleagues at East Sussex Highways.
2.10.
The Road Safety Team will assess
whether Pedestrian warning signs to highlight to drivers the
possibility of pedestrians in the road, meet the national guidance
standards for the implementation of traffic signs on the public
highway.
3 Conclusion
and Reasons for Recommendations
3.
3.1.
It is recommended that the petitioners be advised that their
request for a lower speed limit and pedestrian crossing on the A26
Eridge Green does not meet the County Council’s criteria and,
therefore, due to limited resources this site would not be a
priority to consider above those currently identified for
investigation.
3.2.
It is recommended that the petitioners be advised that their
request for traffic calming measures has not been identified as a
priority for the County Council at the present time and that the
measures available for use on a busy A class road are very limited
owing to the likelihood of formal objections from statutory
consultees to such proposals.
3.3.
It is recommended that the petitioners be advised that due to the
crash record at the junction of Sham Farm Road/A26, this site would
not be a priority to consider above those currently identified for
investigation.
3.4.
It is recommended that the petitioners be advised to contact
Rotherfield Parish Council to see if they would support a
Feasibility Study into whether any measures could be considered for
part funding through the Community Match initiative.
3.5.
It is recommended that the petitioners be advised that lining and
signing maintenance in the area has been passed to East Sussex
Highways to investigate.
3.6.
It is recommended that petitioners be advised that the Road Safety
Team will consider the implementation of ‘Pedestrian
Crossing’ warning signs at this location.
Director of Communities, Economy
and Transport
Contact Officer: Jo
Reed
Tel. No. 07748 761449
Email: jo.reed@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL
MEMBERS
Councillor Georgia
Taylor
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENTS
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