Report to:                  Lead Member for Transport and Environment

 

Date of meeting:       16 January 2023

 

By:                              Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

 

Title:                           Petition: Traffic calming or speed reduction scheme in the Northampton Way/Norfolk Drive/Kent Road and Lincoln Close area of St Leonards on Sea

 

Purpose:                    To consider the need for the provision of a traffic calming or speed reduction scheme in the Northampton Way/Norfolk Drive/Kent Road and Lincoln Close area of St Leonards on Sea

 

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

(1)    A potential scheme to implement a traffic calming or speed reduction scheme in and around Kent Road has been assessed through our approved High Level Sift process and is not a priority for the County Council at the present time; and

(2)    Petitioners may wish to consider taking a potential scheme forward through Community Match. A Feasibility Study (at a cost of £500) and speed data (at a cost of £422 per site) would be required prior to a Community Match application.

 

1.    Background Information

1.1.        At the County Council meeting on 11 October 2022, a petition was presented to the Chairman by Councillor Scott from a group of residents from the Northampton Way/Norfolk Drive/Kent Road and Lincoln Close area of St Leonards. The group requests that the County Council install some form of traffic calming or speed reduction scheme in the area. A copy of the petition is available in the Members’ Room. 

 

2.    Supporting Information

2.1.        Kent Road, Northampton Way, Norfolk Drive and Lincoln Close are covered by a 30mph speed limit, as indicated by the system of street lighting in the roads. It is a residential area with a number of different types of housing present throughout. There is a children’s play area located on Kent Road, opposite Northampton Way and Norfolk Drive. A location plan can be found at Appendix 1.  

2.2.        The crash data supplied by Sussex Police for the ten-year period up to 30 September 2022 shows that there have been no crashes resulting in personal injury within Kent Road, Norfolk Drive, Northampton Way and Lincoln Close. This is shown at Appendix 2.

2.3.        The County Council has a limited amount of funding to develop local transport improvements and need to ensure that the Council targets resources to those schemes which will be of greatest benefit to local communities. To help prioritise the numerous requests received for improvements, East Susses County Council (ESCC) developed a process to determine which schemes should be funded through the Integrated Transport Programme. The request for a traffic calming or speed reduction scheme within the Kent Road area has been assessed through the approved High Level Sift process and did not meet the benchmark score to be taken forward.

 

3.    Conclusion and Reasons for Recommendations

3.1.        It is recommended that the Lead Member for Transport and Environment advise petitioners that a scheme to implement traffic calming or speed reduction measures in the Kent Road area of St Leonards is not presently a priority for funding from the County Council’s budget. However, appropriate improvements could be considered should an alternative source of funding become available, or an application through Community Match was successful.

3.2.        In order to determine what measures could be suitable in this area, prior to a Community Match application, it is suggested that the petitioners contact Hastings Borough Council to ascertain whether they would be interested in supporting a scheme to try and influence traffic conditions in the area. The support from the Borough Council does not need to be financial – any group interested in taking a scheme forward through Community Match can provide the funding. They would then need to commission a Feasibility Study at a cost of £500 and speed data at a cost of £422 per site. This will help to identify possible improvements for further discussions and provide the group concerned and the Borough Council with an estimate of what they might cost to assist in their budget considerations.

 

 

RUPERT CLUBB

Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

Contact Officer: Victoria Bartholomew
Tel. No. 01424 724284
Email: Victoria.Bartholomew@eastsussex.gov.uk

 

LOCAL MEMBERS

Councillor Phil Scott

 

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

None