Calls to improve road safety around popular Eastbourne park

On Monday (November 20), Cllr Claire Dowling, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for transport and environment, is due to consider a petition calling for a safe crossing to Hartfield Square — a park and gardens, which includes a children’s play area.

The petition was presented to the council during the summer, with residents raising concerns about the safety of those crossing The Avenue to enter the park. This led to an assessment by officers, who concluded the area could benefit from road safety works.

In a report to Cllr Dowling, a council officer said: “The request for a safe crossing to Hartfield Square on The Avenue has been assessed through the approved High Level Sift process to determine if it may be a priority for future consideration.

“This was a fairly broad assessment to include all types of pedestrian crossing facilities (ranging from additional uncontrolled crossing points, to controlled crossings such as a zebra or signalised crossing).

“The benchmark score was met, and the scheme will now go forward for further detailed appraisal for possible inclusion within the draft capital programme. The programme will be considered for approval by the lead member for transport and environment at the end of March 2024.”

In other words, council officers say they will look further into providing a safer crossing, with detailed plans potentially coming through next year.

The report goes on to note crash data supplied by Sussex Police. This data shows there have been six crashes resulting in personal injury along the entire length of The Avenue during the three-year period leading up to 31 July 2023, although none of these crashes involved pedestrians.