Decision details

To report the outcomes of the outcomes of the traffic signals and 20mph speed limit trial scheme carried out in September/October 2018, and to recommend next steps for traffic management in Alfriston High Street

3.1       The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport, with a correction to the date of the trial referred to at paragraph 2.8.  He confirmed that he had received further correspondence from three residents of Alfriston and Seaford.  

3.2       The following people spoke regarding the report: Dr June Goodfield (on behalf of SAFE); Bill Rendall (on behalf of the petitioners, Conserve Alfriston); Councillor Caroline Adcock (former member of SAFE and Conserve Alfriston, and current Alfriston Parish Councillor), and Councillor Ray Savage (on behalf of Alfriston Parish Council).  The Lead Member confirmed that the proposals put forward by Conserve Alfriston would be addressed.     

DECISIONS

3.3       The Lead Member RESOLVED to (1) note the conclusions of the design review undertaken on the traffic signal scheme, as presented by East Sussex County Council at their consultation exercise in 2016;

(2) note the review of the alternative measures, as presented by the Conserve Alfriston Group in May 2017; and

(3) agree that the proposals for a trial traffic signal scheme, as set out in the report, should be taken forward alongside a further four week trial of a 20mph speed limit so that the local community can consider the two schemes independently of one another and the results from this exercise shall be presented to Lead Member in Spring 2019 for further consideration. 

Reasons

3.4       The results of the initial design review conducted by the Highways team has indicated that the location of the traffic signals near Market Square, as presented in the 2016 consultation exercise, will cause operational problems at the Square.  Traffic modelling carried out in November 2017 on the proposal for traffic signals at Weavers Lane and Star Lane indicate that average network journey times would not significantly increase. 

3.5       The four week trial using temporary traffic signals will enable any effects that the proposals may have to be observed in a live traffic situation.  The additional four week speed limit restriction will allow the community to consider the two measures independently from each other. 

3.6       The outcomes of the trial scheme, together with the feedback obtained from residents and businesses will be presented to a Lead Member meeting in Spring 2019 for further consideration as to how the scheme progresses.