Welcome to Rottingdean
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
What is It ? How do you Know ?
When the volume of traffic exceeds the operating capacity
of the road
When there are long queues at key points especially outside
peak rush hours
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
Interesting Quotes
From B&HCC Air Quality Action Plan 2015
“Rottingdean High Street has inappropriate levels of traffic (>10,000 vehicles
a day) within an especially confined space. The main road carriageway kerb is
no more than eighteen inches from flint cottages”
Limited capacity / Narrow pavements = Safety issues for pedestrians and
cyclists
From a Lewes District Council report
“The Brighton & Hove Local Transport Plan 2011 identifies the A259/B2123
junction as one of the city’s worst locations in terms of traffic congestion and
delays. However, the City Council has no proposals to improve the layout and
operation of this junction. Queuing and delays on its approaches will
therefore continue to be a feature.
From B&HCC latest City Plan
NONE . No corrective actions are included in the latest City Plan for Brighton
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
Why is traffic so bad?
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
What is current volume of traffic on RHS?
Around 14,300 vehicle movements on a typical weekday
Because of limited night time traffic this equals 900 / 1000
movements per hour, 7am to 7pm
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
What is the operating capacity of RHS?
Very subjective – each location has unique characteristics
B&HCC have not provided a calculation
Between 750 and 900 per hour for a road width of 6.1 m
SAFE estimate that 450 to 550 movements per hour is the
maximum for RHS
An independent assessment of RHS capacity by a transport
consultant is now essential.
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
The B&HCC City Plan
Nothing appears in the City Plan to address the congestion in
Rottingdean
No actions planned during next 15 years
The earliest available documentation relating to congestion in
Rottingdean is 1972.
Then Brighton requested East Sussex County Council to
consider a bypass for Rottingdean
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
Health and Safety
Congestion in RHS not only is the major cause of air pollution
but also generates Health and Safety issues as follows,
especially given the exceptionally narrow and somewhat uneven
pavements
Increases the danger to pedestrians
Increases danger to cyclists
Creates noise pollution
Can cause structural deterioration to pavements and
buildings close to the road
Deters tourists
Reduces the effectiveness of the village as a local district
shopping, facilities and entertainment centre
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
Other Considerations
RHS is used by almost 500 junior school pupils and their
parents, pupils from Longhill school, a number of
care/respite/nursing homes including Blind Veterans UK
and elderly residents.
What is going to happen to RHS when road works on
A27 - Lewes to Polegate stretch begin ?
What input should Rottingdean have relating to major
developments planned by Lewes District
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.
Congestion
Solutions?
B&HCC has dealt with this in the past by asking concerned
individuals and community organisations to suggest solutions
(then B&HCC explain why these solutions won’t work)
The SAFE position is that:
B&HCC have caused the critical nature of the current problem
by ignoring it over the years
The people of Rottingdean (council tax payers) are not
responsible for identifying solutions to such problems
Rottingdean does not employ the “supposed” experts to
work on this.
Solutions are a key responsibility of B&HCC.
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Copyright © 2015 SAFE Rottingdean. All rights reserved.