TOWN councillors have approved funding to carry out a feasibility study to review issues and potential options to improve road safety and parking in Brunel Drive and Hedley Way in Hailsham.
At the meeting of Full Council held last week, members resolved to spend £500 from its Professional Fees budget on the feasibility study, which will be carried out soon.
The need for the study to be commissioned has come about due to a number of recent parking problems with users of the James West Community Centre in Brunel Drive, causing issues with some drivers driving dangerously and nearby residents not being able to access their properties.
One particular incident, reported recently here, resulted in a significant part of Brunel Drive becoming filled with cars, which in turn caused some residents having to drive onto the pavements to get into and out of the Welbury Meadows, creating a serious road safety situation. Residents expressed their concern about the situation at the time.
In response to this and other issues reported, the Town Council agreed to closely monitor bookings of the centre and confirm at the time of booking the estimated number of attendees and vehicles using the car park to the rear of the centre, to ensure there are no future parking issues.
It was also agreed by town councillors that all future users of the centre are encouraged to park their vehicles in the designated car park as opposed to on Brunel Drive.
The Town Council has liaised with East Sussex County Council in relation to these parking issues and, following a recent site meeting with East Sussex road safety officers, it was recommended that, in the short term, a feasibility study will be carried out by the Highways team, funded by the Town Council.
