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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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15 January
2024
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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 introduce
traffic calming measures including a 20mph speed limit, relevant
mandatory signs and occasional radar checks to deliver safety in
Southfields Road, Eastbourne
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Purpose:
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To consider the need
for the implementation of a 20mph speed limit with traffic calming
measures and relevant signing in Southfields Road,
Eastbourne.
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Lead Member is
recommended to advise petitioners that:
(1)
A potential scheme
to implement a 20mph speed limit, traffic calming and relevant
mandatory signs has been assessed through the approved High Level
Sift process and is not a priority for the County Council at the
present time;
(2)
Petitioners may
wish to consider setting up a Community Speed Watch group for the
area to carry out occasional speed checks; and
(3)
Petitioners may
wish to consider taking a potential scheme forward
through Community Match. A Community Match
Appraisal at a cost of £500 would be required prior to a
Community Match application.
1
Background Information
1.1
At the County Council meeting on 10 October 2023, a petition was
presented to the Chairman by Councillor Rodohan on behalf of a
group of residents from the Southfields Road area of Eastbourne.
The petitioners request that the County Council implement a 20mph
speed limit, traffic calming measures, relevant mandatory signs and
occasional radar checks to deliver safety in Southfields Road. A
copy of the petition is available in the Members’ Room.
1.2
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
Southfields Road is covered by a 30mph speed limit as indicated by
the system of street lighting. The road is a bus route with a
number of bus stops present along the road. A location plan can be
found at Appendix 1.
2.2
The crash data supplied by Sussex Police for the three-year period
up to 30 September 2023 shows that there have been two crashes
resulting in personal injury within Southfields Road. The crashes
were not attributed to excessive or inappropriate speed. A crash
data plan can be found at Appendix 2.
2.3
A speed survey was undertaken in Southfields Road for the seven-day
period from 21 November 2023. This indicated average vehicle speeds
of 23mph for both northbound and southbound traffic. The speed
survey can be found at Appendix 3.
2.4
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 the greatest benefit to
local communities. To help prioritise the number of requests
received for improvements, a High Level Sift process was developed
to determine which schemes should be funded through the Integrated
Transport Programme.
2.5
The request for a 20mph speed limit, traffic calming measures and
relevant mandatory signs has been assessed through the approved
High Level Sift process and did not meet the benchmark score to be
taken forward.
2.6
Although this request is not currently a priority for the County
Council, petitioners may wish to liaise with Eastbourne Borough
Council to determine if they would be interested in supporting a
community funded scheme through the Community Match Initiative. 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.
2.7
Petitioners are advised that a Community Speed Watch group could be
formed which would allow concerned residents to carry out speed
checks, which can then be relayed to Sussex Police.
3 Conclusion
and Reasons for Recommendations
3
3.1
It is recommended that the petitioners are advised that a scheme to
implement a 20mph speed limit, traffic calming
measures and relevant
mandatory signs in Southfields Road has been assessed through the
approved High Level Sift process and did not meet the benchmark
score to be taken forward. However, appropriate improvements could
be considered should an alternative source of funding become
available, or an application through Community Match was
successful.
3.2
To determine what measures could be suitable in this area, prior to
a Community Match application, the petitioners would need to
commission a Community Match Appraisal at a cost of £500.
This would help identify possible improvements for further
discussions and provide the group with an estimate of what they
might cost to assist in their budget considerations.
3.3
Occasional radar checks could be carried out by concerned
residents, should they wish to form a Community Speed Watch group.
Contact details for the District Speedwatch Administrator can be
provided to Councillor Rodohan and the Lead Petitioner upon
request.
Director of Communities, Economy
and Transport
Contact Officer:
Victoria Bartholomew
Tel. No. 01424 724284
Email: Victoria.Bartholomew@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL
MEMBERS
Councillor
Rodohan
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENTS
None