Council hears residents’ appeal to make Hollingdean Dip safe

Official PR from Brighton and Hove Green Party

28 March 2011. Green Party council candidates for Hollingdean & Stanmer Ward have submitted a resident-led petition calling on Brighton and Hove City Council to make the roads that converge on Hollingdean Dip safer for pedestrians.

The petition – signed by 835 residents in and around the Dip – was presented at Thursday’s Full Council meeting by candidate Christina Summers.

She said: “This petition asks the council to take a proper overview of all the problems with the road layout in the Dip rather than look at just one part.

“Residents have identified several issues that contribute to their general feeling of vulnerability and concern when moving around the Dip: drivers’ speeds, parking on corners and double yellow lines, the bus stop location and layout, amongst others.”

Christina added, “The Council’s ‘Pedestrian Crossing Assessment Methodology’ highlights the importance of public perception of dangerous roads and the impact of crossings on “community cohesion”.

“Yet this isn't scored in their assessment, nor are the near miss collisions or the ‘predictable risk increasing dynamic situations’ (such as cars overtaking buses at build-outs every ten minutes), or the need to take into account the number of children under ten who use the street or how well vehicles adhere to speed limits.

“So how will the city council ensure that the safety of pedestrians who need to use the Hollingdean Dip will be incorporated into the council’s road safety assessment?”

Steve Hare, a resident of Hollingdean Terrace, will quiz councillors at next Thursday’s (31 March) Environment Cabinet Member meeting.

He will urge the Council to include residents’ daily experience as pedestrians in Hollingdean Dip in any decision on whether to build a pedestrian crossing.

Mr Hare said: “As well as near misses, the number of cars speeding to overtake buses at the Dip bus stop don’t currently appear to be taken into account. This can’t be right and, especially in areas like the Dip with high numbers of under-10s crossing the road, means people are at risk."

Christina Summers added: “A fatality is waiting to happen and the many near misses are a clarion call for the council to do something before it’s too late.”

END

Note to editors

Full text of the ‘Make Hollingdean Dip Safe’ petition:

“We the undersigned petition the council to take urgent steps to make the Hollingdean Dip safer to cross by reviewing the traffic calming measures in the area and taking steps to improve road safety such as installing a zebra crossing.

“The current arrangement is wholly unsatisfactory for such a busy junction that provides a cut-through for road traffic from all directions and a major pedestrian route particularly to and from Hertford Infants School, and the “pinch points” installed on Hollingbury Crescent 10 years ago to slow down vehicles have had no effect as they race one another to squeeze through first.

“We feel strongly that providing better traffic management will transform the level of personal safety, particularly for school children, and significantly ease access to shops on both sides.”

Hollingdean & Stanmer’s Green candidates with Steve Hare outside Brighton Town Hall just before the Full Council meeting at which they presented the petition.

Order in the photo: Cllr Sven Rufus, Steve Hare, candidates Christina Summers and Luke Walter.