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Report to: |
Lead Member for Transport and Environment
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Date of meeting:
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28 April 2025 |
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By: |
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
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Title: |
Petition for the road layout to be changed and physical width restrictions installed to enforce the 7.5t weight restriction in the High Street, Bexhill.
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Purpose: |
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RECOMMENDATIONS: The Lead Member is recommended to advise the petitioners that:
(2) Whilst all options will be fully considered, due to the requirement to ensure the emergency services and legitimate HGV deliveries can still take place within the High Street, a physicalwidth restriction is likely to have minimal effect on ‘through’ HGV traffic using the High Street;
(3) The concerns about enforcement of the 7.5t weight restriction on the High Street have been passed to Sussex Police as the correct enforcement authority; and
(4) The re-routing of the scheduled bus service would have a substantial impact on passengers gaining access to Bexhill Hospital and it is not possible to operate these routes with buses less than 7.5t as they would not have the seating capacity to cater for passenger demand on these routes. No changes are therefore recommended to the bus service along the High Street at this time.
1.3. The B2182 High Street is within the preservation area of the Old Town of Bexhill and lies between Chantry Lane/Belle Hill at its western end and Upper Sea Road/ Church Street at is eastern end. A location plan can be found at Appendix 1.
1.4. The High Street is subject to a 7.5t weight restriction between its junctions with Chantry Lane/Belle Hill and Upper Sea Road/Church Street. It has an ‘except for access’ provision which means that any Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) which is legitimately accessing land or property within the restriction is legally permitted to do so. Enforcement of moving traffic restrictions such as weight limits is a matter for Sussex Police. East Sussex County Council has no power to enforce these restrictions.
1.5. Advanced advisory signing of the weight restriction on the High Street has been provided at the junction of the A269 London Road/B2182 Holliers Hill and on the B2182 Upper Sea Road, which provides drivers with the opportunity to use the A269 London Road or De La Warr Road as an alternative route. There are regulatory 7.5t weight restriction signs at the start of the prohibition at either end of the High Street. Appendix 2 shows photographs of the traffic signs in place. As with any restriction it relies on drivers taking note of the road signs which have been provided.
1.7 Bus services use the High Street in Bexhill with the primary reason to provide access for patients and visitors attending Bexhill Hospital on Hollier’s Hill. These bus services (routes 53, 94/94A and 95) run from Bexhill, Sidley, Hastings and other areas. All of these buses are over 7.5t.
1.8. Bexhill Community Bus also provide bus route 12 along Bexhill High Street linking Bexhill Hospital with Bexhill Town Centre and Pebsham. This service runs with a minibus under 7.5t, however it only provides 4 return journeys a day.
1.9. Crash data supplied by Sussex Police for the most recent 3-year period up to 31 January 2025 shows that there have been no recorded personal injury crashes on the High Street.
2.2. It is expected that the new assessment approach will be available by October 2025, at which time the assessment of the request to construct a physical width restriction on the High Street will be undertaken. The lead petitioner will be contacted directly should the request successfully progress beyond the first assessment stage. Whilst there is a wait in undertaking the assessment, it will not delay the timescales for the inclusion of potential schemes that are successful in being included in the capital programme of local transport improvements.
2.4. The nearest alternative suitable route for buses to follow if they were re-routed from the High Street is along London Road. This would require patients and visitors attending Bexhill Hospital to walk a further 270 metres (measured from the nearest bus stops in London Road). The alternative bus route would have to be via Havelock Road and Springfield Road and would also lead to a longer walk at the hospital end of the journey which would be up hill. Re-routing buses would also reduce access to bus services for residents living in the High Street and Hollier’s Hill area. These impacts are likely to be substantial on these residents.
2.5 It is not possible to operate these scheduled bus routes with buses less than 7.5t as they would not have the seating capacity to cater for the passenger demand on these routes.
3.2. Petitioners should also be informed that, whilst all options will be fully considered, due to the requirement to ensure the emergency services and legitimate HGV deliveries can still take place within the High Street, a physical width restriction is likely to have minimal effect on ‘through’ HGV traffic using the High Street.
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
Contact Officer: Helen
Clee
Email: Helen.Clee@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL MEMBERS
Councillor Clark
Councillor Hollidge
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
None