HAILSHAM Town Council is stepping in to fund an independent traffic survey on Amberstone Road following months of campaigning for a safer crossing at the location where two schoolgirls were seriously injured.
Councillors have agreed to provide £575 for a comprehensive traffic assessment on the A271, gathering evidence on vehicle speeds, traffic volumes and the types of vehicles using the busy route.
The decision represents a significant development in the campaign for improved pedestrian safety between Linnet Lane and Trefoil Road.
The Town Council has also agreed funding for a separate assessment of the A267 near the new Wealden Community Sports Hub, with up to £2,000 allocated towards the two surveys.
The funding was initially proposed by the council’s Planning and Development Committee before receiving approval from Full Council on Wednesday, September 24.
Although Hailsham Town Council is not the highways authority responsible for either road, councillors said they wanted to help provide evidence which could move discussions over safety improvements forward.
Road Data Safety Ltd will carry out the Amberstone assessment, which will go beyond basic speed monitoring by recording the overall volume of traffic and identifying different types of heavy and light vehicles using the road.
Amberstone Road has been at the centre of a major community campaign following a collision in March in which two Year 5 schoolgirls were seriously injured while crossing the A271.
Parents and residents subsequently launched a petition calling for a formal pedestrian crossing and other safety measures.
The issue went before East Sussex County Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Environment in July.
A potential pedestrian crossing and traffic-calming scheme had been assessed through the county council’s Local Transport Plan 4 prioritisation process but did not achieve the benchmark score required to progress to detailed appraisal and possible inclusion in its capital programme.
The county council instead agreed to pursue Community Infrastructure Levy funding from Wealden District Council as a potential way of delivering improvements.
Parents stepped up their campaign earlier this month by holding a silent roadside protest at Amberstone Road, carrying “safe crossing” placards at the location where the girls were injured.
The new independent survey will now provide additional evidence which can be passed to highways officials as campaigners continue pressing for permanent improvements.
Meanwhile, a second survey will examine traffic conditions on the A267 close to the Wealden Community Sports Hub near Boship Roundabout.
The £16.7million facility opened in August and has brought increased attention to pedestrian access across the A267, particularly for people approaching the sports hub from nearby routes including the Cuckoo Trail.
The assessment will examine vehicle speeds and traffic levels to help establish whether further measures could be required.
Town Mayor and Planning and Development Committee chairman Councillor Chris Bryant said: “The safety of our residents – whether they are children walking to school near Amberstone or families accessing the new Wealden Community Sports Hub on the A267 – is our absolute priority.
“We are stepping up with up to £2,000 in local funding to bypass bureaucratic delays and put independent data on the table.
“By working with Road Data Safety Ltd, we will gather the exact evidence needed regarding speed, volume and vehicle types to build a case for permanent highway safety features.”
The results of both surveys are expected to be shared with county highways officials as part of efforts to secure longer-term pedestrian safety improvements.
