In an effort to improve road safety in his Danehill and Maresfield county division, Conservative councillor Roy Galley joined the lead petitioner for the creation of a 30mph zone in Piltdown (Amanda Abrahams) at an East Sussex County Council meeting. They argued in support of the petition which they had presented to the County Council back in October for a lower speed limit.
While the decision was not the one Roy and the campaigners wanted, the Parish Council has agreed to funding a feasibility study to look at possible options which County officers will assess.
Cllr Galley said:
“The A272 through Piltdown is a very dangerous stretch of road. Piltdown residents and I petitioned the County Council for a 30 MPH limit along the road and in adjoining roads. This has been turned down for now despite this being unsafe, particularly for school children, inconsistent with safety measures in other rural communities and contravening the spirit of the Council’s own policy.
However the Parish Council will now fund a study of possible options to improve safety. With additional housing in the area, this issue will not go away and we will persist in fighting for improvements.”
Wealden's MP, Nus Ghani has recently visited Piltdown village to meet with local residents and parish council representatives, who are spearheading the campaign to reduce speed limit through the village to 30mph.
Piltdown residents and parish councillors have shared their concerns regarding the speed limits along the A272 running through the village and the hazard that dangerous driving poses to the local community.
The vast majority of the Piltdown stretch is subject to 50mph, before a brief reduction to 40mph occurs through the centre of Piltdown. This is despite the area including many residential properties and concealed entrances, and is in contrast to neighbouring villages also located on the A272, such as Newick, North Chailey and Scanes Hill, which are all subject to 30mph limit.
Concerns have been raised especially about the dangers posed to school children daily using the bus stop opposite the petrol station, which has no footpath or safe crossing places within its close proximity.
Nusrat Ghani said: “I have made representations to National Highways and East Sussex County Council to request details about the safety assessment of the current speed limit and their criteria for putting in place additional traffic calming and safety measures.”
