Neighbours are “delighted” that a draft traffic order has been published which, if ratified, could reduce the speed limit on their busy road.
Residents in Wilson Avenue, in east Brighton, surveyed more than 100 neighbours, asking them if they would like the speed limit reduced from 40mph to 30mph outside their homes.
Many were concerned about the high number of accidents on the road, which Sussex Police describe as “semi-rural” with houses on the west side and Sheepcote Valley to the east.
Campaigner Harry Butler led a deputation to Brighton and Hove City Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee in June, after 60 of the 75 people who responded backed the move.
He received support from Labour councillor Nancy Platts, who represents East Brighton ward, and Green councillor Steve Davis, who chairs the committee.
And last Friday (26 August) a draft traffic order to reduce the speed limit was posted on the council’s website. Those for or against the order have until Friday 16 September to comment.
The reduced limit would come into force from a point 70 yards or 64 metres north of Vine Cross Road, to the north side of Marlow Road, where the limit currently drops to 30mph.
Mr Butler said: “There is a real sense of relief about the council’s decision to introduce this order as there is an abiding sense of fear that if the present, largely ignored, limit of 40mph was to continue, we would be witnessing another serious accident or a tragedy again.”
“I think many people were uncertain of how to appeal to the council but, with the help of our local councillor, Nancy Platts, we were guided through the procedures and are happy that the order is now being advertised – as they promised.
“We’re thankful to the committee chair Steve Davis who shared our concern that there should be a reduction.
“We’re asking as many residents as possible to respond to the order as it’s important for improving the safety and environment but also shows an interest in the local democratic process.”
He said that people had been impressed by the council’s democratic process which had allowed the residents’ submissions to be heard.
At the meeting in June, Mr Butler told councillors that bus drivers and residents who used the 21A bus route said that vehicles regularly sped past them at up to 100mph in the early hours.
According to the council, there have been 12 serious accidents in Wilson Avenue in the past three years, with one death and eight serious injuries.
Sussex Police said that the limit was “appropriate” but Councillor Davis said that, as a driving instructor, he felt that the road suited a 30mph limit and pushed the project forward.
When he backed the request for a traffic order, Councillor Davis told residents that they were “pushing at an open door” with him.
He said: “There is an absolute difference between a street and a road. A road is a divide. Think of Falmer or Ditchling Road, which takes a car from one place to another.
“A street is a place where people live and work and play. You live in a street. It is not a road.”
Councillor Platts said that Wilson Avenue was “like a river” because it was hard to cross to reach the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre and East Brighton Park.
She said: “I’d like to thank local people for taking action to slow traffic and save lives.
“The proposed reduction to 30mph in Wilson Avenue is welcome news and my greatest wish is that it eliminates the kind of horrific accidents residents have witnessed on this road.
“My thanks are extended to Councillor Steve Davis for taking this issue seriously and finding a welcome solution. I hope that Sussex Police will support local people.”
Wilson Avenue will keep the 40mph limit from north of Vine Cross Road to Warren Road.
To comment on the traffic order, click here and search for TRO-28-2022 or email TROcomment@brighton-hove.gov.uk, quoting TRO-28-2022.
Alternatively, comments can be sent in writing, quoting the reference TRO-28-2022, to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture, Brighton and Hove City Council, Parking Design and Implementation, Room G40, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove, BN3 3BQ.
Particlar attention needs to be given to the southern end, where I was almost killed in 2012.
All well and good having lower limit but I bet nearly all the crashes drivers were exceeding the current limit so dropping it to 30 is going to do nothing put traffic calming down there then no body can do excess speed
Nowadays that’s a main feeder road into the city but the main issue is it’s also a steep hill.
I would have thought a speed camera was the best option, because then you could catch those who speed.
Just changing the speed limit won’t change bad behaviour.
The reason there is increased traffic there is because of the mess they made of Lewes road.
The current plans for Hanover and Elm Grove will similarly displace traffic, worsening the traffic issues elsewhere.
Wouldn’t it be great if we actually had a city-wide transport strategy – where we look at all the options for bringing in visitors and for locals to get from A to B.
I guess that might be too intellectually demanding for the current lot.
Needs traffic calming measures, or at least speed cameras/smileys, to stop people driving at the speed they ‘feel’ the road should be (or think they can get away with.)
The speed limit on Bear Road is 20MPH but most drivers (including council vehicles) probably manage twice that or more including some dangerous overtaking where the occasional vehicle actually obeys the speed limit… Again much of the traffic here and on Coombe Road are drivers trying to avoid the mess the council have made of the Lewes Road.
When I enquired about speed cameras/traffic calming I was told by the council that they wouldn’t do anything ‘until someone’s been killed’ so I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for something to be done if you live on Wilson Ave.
I am not surprised that these problems exist. They are the creation of an inept department of Brighton City Council who instead using common sense have created nightmare scenarios on Lewes Road of traffic backing up to Stanmer park pumping poison into the atmosphere caused by Brighon UniCanyon also pollution on the level due to botched right turn at Pavilion and London Road and Hove right turn. Idiot double cycle lane on seafront is another classic act of lunacy. As I have maintained before the people responsible for these decisions are either mentally challenged or on drugs, the latter being more likely.
FYI cycle lanes have updated minimum widths nowadays, so the seafront lane isn’t “double” so much as it’s compliant with government standards.
Some Guy
FYI the reference to ‘Double’ in this case means TWO, ie one running along side another!
Unless you want the cyclists to only go in one direction, it has to total out to that width. Admittedly, you could probably fit both directions on the paved area for quite a long way, but it would make the Prom very narrow indeed at some points.
Some Guy
In my opinion it is totally messed up. Ill thought out and is dangerous for pedestrian’s. Now they have to negotiate two lots of cycle lanes.
Bingo! Blaming cycle lanes for speeding on Wilson Ave… Got to maintain the Argus reader reputation.
Mark Strong
Hmmm, have to question the reading and mental ability of some readers too.
Can you highlight where someone is ‘Blaming cycle lanes for speeding on Wilson Ave’ please.
The mess of the Old Stiene and many other systems across the city shows once again that the council do not want people in vehicles to come to our city. They are causing issues with public transport and any visitor who has a car. The council and the idiots in the road planning sector need sacking and quickly, or we will have another town/city centre closing down as nobody can get there without being fined for trying to obey the ridiculous road system.
Well it’s unfortunate when a debate on transport strategy becomes a polarised argument between cyclists and car drivers. That actually helps nobody.
The complaint about the seafront cycle lane is that it duplicates one already there and has created a new traffic log jam outside the Brighton Centre. The existing cycle lane could easily have been widened at that point, then allowing road width to stay as it was – to the benefit of cyclists, car drivers, and indeed for pedestrians trying to cross the road.
And nobody is suggesting here that speeding on Wilson avenue is down to cycle lanes.
You can however argue that narrowing roads elsewhere has moved more traffic to Wilson avenue, and that traffic congestion makes people late and therefore more likely to speed when they shouldn’t.
I’d argue that every decision on road alterations should be part of a city wide plan to keep the various forms of traffic moving, just as much as it’s about road safety or pollution.
If you want cars off the road then you need to provide viable and efficient other forms of transport, preferably public transport.
We also need park and ride schemes and Sheepcote valley would be an obvious place for one at the eastern end of the city.
On topic, we should note that Wilson avenue is a bus route and there are two bus depots just off the bottom of this road.
We should also note that the speeding happens with cars going downhill too fast, which is easily done on such a steep hill. But at busy times, it’s impossible to speed down there, because there is too much traffic. A speed camera would seem to be the obvious solution.
It’s great that no matter the issue people will complain about cycle lanes and in this case a road nowhere near a cycle lane!
Keep it up Brighton!
Thomas Woods
The original post concerned the poor road layouts and the pollution caused by Vehicles and the doubling of cycle lanes.
It’s interesting that some, only want to highlight anything that mentions cycle lanes without actually reading the entire post.
I posted the following comment 2 September 2022 at 2.39pm and as you posted at over an hour later equality applies to you now.
Hmmm, have to question the reading and mental ability of some readers too.
Can you highlight where someone is ‘Blaming cycle lanes for speeding on Wilson Ave’ please.