As I write this column, January is flying by. At the beginning of the year, I like to take time with my team ahead and look at new issues which have been raised with me since being elected to see how I can help with finding solutions.
One such issue is the safety of the A259 road between Pevensey and Little Common. This is a heavily used road, being the main link between Bexhill and Eastbourne for local traffic. It is also a significant logistical route for the area, linking coastal towns and is important to our local economy. It therefore needs to be safe and resilient. As it is a major A-road, it is managed centrally by National Highways rather than the county council.
Unfortunately, there were several serious accidents and one fatality along this stretch of road in the weeks leading up to Christmas. This is incredibly sad for those involved and my sympathies go to the families of those who have died or been injured. It is important that we look at the causes of these accidents to understand why they occurred and what could be done to make the road safer.
Those who regularly travel along this stretch of road, or live along it, will be aware of the long traffic queues at peak times of day. These are exacerbated by roadworks resulting from utility works, new housing developments and general road maintenance. This stretch of the A259 has seen a significant increase in traffic since the Hastings to Bexhill Link Road was opened in 2016. There has also been a lot of housebuilding off the A259 in Little Common as well as in north Bexhill which increases the number of vehicle movements along this road.
When the road comes to a standstill because of an accident or simply the sheer weight of traffic, it impacts the quality of life of those who live along it, those who have to use it, and it also impacts those living in nearby villages. I recently met with a group of residents from Hooe who are concerned about their village being used as a rat run when the A259 is congested or closed due to accidents. They are plagued by speeding cars, vans and HGVs which negotiate the narrow lanes and bends of the village. The result is more accidents, damage to property, litter from vehicles and excessive wear and tear on roads which are simply not suitable for such heavy traffic. The same issues impact the road south of the A259 through Herbrand Walk and Normans Bay.
Local councillors and residents are looking for solutions to improve road safety and the resilience of the A259. They also want to see better and more appropriate diversion routes when the road is closed. To achieve this, I have arranged a meeting with National Highways, councillors, Sussex Police and East Sussex County Council. I will keep residents updated with progress.
On the subject of roads, I will also be putting a focus on getting potholes fixed. The County Council was awarded an additional £21m from the government for road maintenance this year. The County Council advise that the true cost of repairing the worst sections of roads in the county is around £300m. Nevertheless, people often complain to me about potholes, and I fully understand their frustration. It is important to report the potholes to get them fixed. We have got so used to seeing them that we assume someone else will have reported them. This is often not the case. I would therefore urge residents to go on the ESCC Highways webpage https://live.eastsussexhighways.com/report-problem to report potholes. It is easy to do and also tells you if they have already been reported and are due for repair. If you cannot do this yourself, then tell me, so my team can report them and monitor when the repairs are carried out.
Finally, several people have mentioned the lack of signage at my constituency office in Bexhill. I know it’s taken a long time to get it installed, this has been due to a number of factors but I’m pleased to say that work is now underway to get it installed in the next few weeks. For those who don’t know where it is, I have taken over the premises of the former MP for Bexhill and Battle, Huw Merriman, at 29-31 Sea Road in Bexhill.
