Issue - meetings

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

9.1       The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.  

9.2       Councillor Natalie Crabtree, of Burwash Parish Council, spoke as the Lead Petitioner to set out the Parish Council’s strong desire to address traffic issues in Burwash High Street.   

DECISIONS

9.3       The Lead Member RESOLVED to inform the petitioners that:

(1)        The footway is not wide enough to allow for strong and substantial bollard protection to be installed for the houses on the southern stretch of the pinch point;  

(2)        The introduction of a 20mph speed limit through the village, chicanes at either end of the village and the provision of pedestrian crossings in the village would not be a priority for the County Council at the present time;

(3)        The County Council would not seek to restrict the movement of HGV’s using the A265 through Burwash;

(4)        It is not appropriate for signs to be installed to warn generally of pedestrians and elderly people using the footways and crossing the road in the village or for signs to be erected to inform drivers not to drive on the footway; 

(5)        The proposed double yellow lines will help to reduce conflict at the pinch point reducing the likelihood of larger vehicles mounting the footway on the southern side of the road; 

(6)        The County Council  would have no objection in principle for more bus stops in safe places but these would need to be promoted by the bus operators(s) and the costs would need to be met from an external source or considered through a Community Match application; and   

(7)        Burwash Parish Council could consider a Feasibility Study at a cost of £500 to explore some of the options presented in the petition as the A265 through the village is not a current priority for the County Council.

Reasons

9.4       Appropriate improvements could be considered should an alternative source of funding become available or if an application through Community Match was successful. In order to determine what measures could be suitable in the village prior to a Community Match application, it is suggested that the Parish Council commissions a Feasibility Study at a cost of £500. This will help to identify possible improvements for further discussions and provide the Parish Council with an estimate of what they might cost to assist in their budget considerations. 

9.5       The Parish Council was encouraged to conduct speed surveys, to help determine the most effective measures that could be put in place, before the full Feasibility Study is commissioned.  The Parish Council was also advised to do a village survey, potentially in tandem with the Neighbourhood Plan consultation, to establish the levels of support for the various proposals put forward.

9.6       The Parish Council was offered the assistance of Traffic Safety officers in drafting the specifications of any Feasibility Study, to ensure that the most effective result is achieved.