Squab Lane Junction Speed Limit Campain

VICTORY has been claimed by residents who fear a child could be killed on a busy road.
Carters Corner Action Group was set up nearly a year ago by neighbours living in Carters Corner, Cowbeech Road, near Hailsham.

The group feared for the lives of children, elderly people and horse riders along the road.

East Sussex County Council has agreed to reduce the speed limit from 60 to 40mph.

This would be enforced from the A271 Amberstone to south of the Squab Lane junction, sometime between 2009 and 2010.

Brian Wootton-Whitling, group chairman, told the Express they had hoped to get the limit down to 30mph.

He said: 'We are happy in as much as it is an improvement from nothing at all.

'We haven't achieved exactly what we want but we're very pleased to have something.'

Resident Sue Wilson was involved with the action group when it first started.

She often rides her horse along Cowbeech Road.

Ms Wilson said safety would still be an issue when she rode over the brow of a hill near Squab Lane.

She said: 'It's a start but unless they stop overtaking on the brow of the hill they won't satisfy my anxieties.

'It will be interesting to see where the cut-off point for the restriction by Squab Lane is.

'I would like to see whether they take the speed limit before or after the brow of the hill.'

The announcement came after a lot of campaigning by the group.

Petitions were handed in to the council asking for the speed limit to be reduced to 30mph.

The group also challenged police reports stating there had been few accidents along the road.

The council did not believe a lower limit (30mph) was 'appropriate' or 'justified on the current crash record'.

A spokeswoman emphasised the new 40mph restriction was 'agreed' rather than 'conceded'.

The new speed limit should form part of developer proposals for the Hellingly Hospital development.

But the development is likely to be late starting due to the nationwide housing market slowing down.

If this happens the council will include the restriction as part of a rural speed limit review.

* Council speed data shows mean speeds between 36 to 38 mph in the southern section of the Squab Lane junction.
This increases to 39.5 and 42.5mph north from that point.


Source: http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/509/Speed-limit-victory-for-campaigners.4347061.jp