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Report to: |
Lead Member for Transport and Environment
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Date of meeting:
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16 June 2025 |
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By: |
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
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Title: |
Petition: Installation of pedestrian crossing and a 20mph speed limit in Mill Road, Hailsham
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Purpose: |
To consider a petition for the installation of a pedestrian crossing outside Lion House Park and implement a 20mph speed limit on the approaches to Lion House Park, in Mill Road, Hailsham
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RECOMMENDATIONS: The Lead Member is recommended to advise the petitioners that:
(1) A potential scheme to install a pedestrian crossing in Mill Road outside Lion House Park will be assessed for possible inclusion for funding within the Capital Programme; and
(2) Mill Road does not meet the Council’s policy for a 20mph speed limit as set out in policy PS05/02
1.4 Crash data supplied by Sussex Police shows that there have been no recorded personal injury crashes in Mill Road on the approaches to Lion House Park for the most recent 5-year period up to 28 February 2025.
1.5 The 30mph limit was extended in January 2023 to encompass the access to Lion House Park. This extension, as well as other highway works including a new footway on the south side opposite Lion Hill Park, were implemented as part of the Millstone Drive development on the south side of Mill Road. A further housing development on the north side of the road, west of Lion House Park, is currently under construction.
1.6 There is a ‘pedestrians in road ahead’ warning sign and a ‘bend ahead’ warning sign on the northbound approach to Lion House Park to warn drivers of potential hazards as they approach the 30mph speed limit. There is also a ‘side road head’ warning sign on the eastbound approach to Lion House Park. Site images are attached as Appendix 2.
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 pedestrian crossing outside Lion House Park 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.
2.3 East Sussex County Council (ESCC) supports 20mph speed limits where appropriate. Adopted Policy PS05/02 (which reflects national guidance and best practice) allows for 20mph speed limits to be considered in town centres, residential areas and in the vicinity of schools. PS05/02 is attached as Appendix 3. To be effective, speed limits need to be set at a level which appears reasonable to a driver and be reflective of the environment through which the road passes. The introduction of a lower speed limit will not automatically slow traffic down. It is nationally recognised that most drivers travel at the speed they consider to be safe for the conditions of the road, based on their assessment of the local environment. There are several factors that are taken into consideration when assessing a length of road for a speed limit, with the predominant factors being the character and appearance of the road, the level of visible frontage development and the average speed of traffic using the road.
2.4 The section of Mill Road south of the access to Lion House Park has no visible frontage development and the character of the road becomes rural with little or no visible development or accesses along it. The eastbound approach to Lion House Park is subject to a 30mph speed limit by virtue of the presence of the system of street lights installed by the developer of the residential Millstone Drive development. The 30mph speed limit has been continued around the bend as not only would vehicle speeds be low on the bend itself due to its radius, the signs are more visible to approaching traffic in the current location to the south of the bend.
2.5 The Road Safety team has assessed the site and can advise that 30mph is the most appropriate speed limit for the bend and the road outside of Lion House Park. Whilst it is appreciated that there are a number of vulnerable road users crossing the road from Lion House Park, 20mph speed limits are reserved for those sites where the number of potential vulnerable road users is much higher, for example in Town Centres, residential areas and outside of schools.
2.6 The existing extent of the national speed limit has also been assessed and the speed limit is the most appropriate due to the rural nature of the road and the current lack of visible frontage development, like many narrow country lanes in East Sussex. It should be noted that the national speed limit of 60mph is the maximum permitted speed and not the speed that drivers are expected to drive at. It is the responsibility of the driver to choose a safe speed within the limit according to the immediate environment, traffic and road conditions. When approaching a sharp bend or a lower speed limit, drivers should adjust their speed accordingly.
3.2 Petitioners should also be informed that a 20mph speed limit in Mill Road does not meet ESCC’s policy requirements on setting local speed limits.
Director of Communities, Economy and Transport
Contact Officer: Clare
Akehurst
Tel. No. 01323 463402
Email: clare.akehurst@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL MEMBERS
Councillor Steve Murphy
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
None