Calls to lower the speed limit of a busy rural road are set to go in front of a senior county councillor next week.
On Monday (September 23), Cllr Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for transport and environment, is set to consider a petition calling for the speed limit of the A267 Wellbrook Hill to be lowered from 50mph to 40mph.
The petition, which organisers say was signed by more than 580 people, argues the current speed limit is “excessively high for the conditions of the road” and calls on the council to lower it “immediately”.
In a statement on the website Change.org, lead petitioner Joel Marlow (a Mayfield and Five Ashes parish councillor) said: “Wellbrook Hill is a well-travelled road that passes through both residential and commercial areas, making it a diverse and busy route for commuters and local residents alike. Its current speed limit of 50 mph is excessively high for the conditions of the road and the surrounding environment.
“The current speed limit is inconsistent with the road’s design, which includes bends, multiple junctions and a pedestrian footpath. Lowering the speed limit to 40 miles per hour would provide drivers with more time to react to potential hazards, reducing the risk of accidents and further fatalities.”
In a report set to be considered by Cllr Dowling, officers note how there have been six personal injury crashes recorded within the extent of the existing 50mph speed limit over the past three years (up to July 31 2024). Of these two were considered ‘serious’, with one resulting in a fatality.
Officers go on to note how the road is set to be considered as part of the county council’s Speed Management Programme — a scheme through which the authority is assessing whether parts of its A and B-class road network could benefit from a reduced speed limit.
The report notes how this programme is ongoing with a “prioritisation process” set to take place in the very near future.
Officers are recommending that Cllr Dowling inform the petitioners of this process, highlighting how the A267 Wellbrook Hill could be one of those roads considered to be a priority for the programme.
The report also notes how if the road is not identified as a priority, the council will contact Mayfield and Five Ashes parish council to explore if they may consider progressing a scheme as part of a Community Match application.
