Calls to lower speed limit on road where 11-year-old killed in crash
Hundreds have signed a petition urging extra safety measures on the stretch in East Sussex
Calls to lower the speed limit of a busy rural road, where an 11-year-old boy died in a crash earlier this year, have been in front of a senior East Sussex councillor.
Harry Dennis was airlifted to hospital following a collision between a car and a van on the B2095, between Hooe and the A259, on December 15th last year. He died in hospital two days later.
A petition started in the wake of Harry's death, which called for a 40mph limit on the current 60mph route, was signed by hundreds of responders.
It went before Cllr Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council's lead member for transport and environment, on Monday (July 17th).
The petition, which was presented to the council back in March, also called for a weight limit to be put on the road, something intended to prevent HGVs from using the route.
Petitioners were represented at the meeting by Pam Doodes, who had been the area’s district councillor until the local elections in May. She said: “The serious concerns around the safety of this road have been growing over the last decade at least.
“About six years ago our first petition was submitted. This contained nearly 700 signatures. It failed because we were told the new Bexhill Road would reduce the amount of traffic, so the problem would go away in time. This has not proved to be the case.”
She added: “The main reason for the petition is to secure the reduction of the 60mph speed limit to at least 40mph. The 60mph limit indicates to drivers that the road is safe to travel at that speed. A lower speed limit would focus attention on to the possible dangers lurking around the next corner.”
Cllr Dowling heard that seven other significant collisions had taken place on the road in the past three years, two of which had resulted in significant injuries.
Ms Doodes said: “The tragic death shocked, saddened and angered the whole community. Many residents were left feeling that they had not been sufficiently forceful in their attempts to obtain safety measures.”
Officers told Cllr Dowling that the road was recently the subject of a Strategic Casualty Reduction (SCR) study. This study resulted in a number of improvement works being commissioned by the council.
These include improvements to traffic signs and hazard marker posts, which have already been completed. Additional road works, including the introduction of coloured surfacing and improvements to the road markings, are set to take place in the near future, officers said.
Officers also said the speed of the road was being looked at as part of the council’s Speed Management Programme. This programme, which is expected to see speed reduction works on around 25 stretches of road over the next three years, has yet to be finalised.
Cllr Dowling agreed with a recommendation to draw the petitioners attention to these programmes as part of her response to the petition. However, she also informed petitioners that their calls for a weight limit would not be supported by policy.
While Ms Doodes welcomed the news on the speed management programme, she expressed some scepticism about the works which had already taken place, saying residents felt it was a ‘sticking plaster’ approach.
She urged officers to ensure the road was considered as a priority area for lower speed limits and said residents would be watching closely for the results of the speed management programme.