A mother of three has asked councillors to put in a safe crossing on a stretch of road in Hove where a grandmother was recently killed by a car.
She also pointed out that hundreds of children cross the fast and dangerous road every day.
The 43-year-old, of Lullington Avenue, Hove, presented a petition of 439 signatures to a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council at Hove Town Hall this afternoon (Thursday 14 September).
Her neighbour Cathy Akehurst, 85, died after being hit by a car in September.
Rebecca Blott said: “I’m here today with my friend and neighbour Marianne Allen to present to you our petition requesting the installation of a pedestrian crossing along the Old Shoreham Road in the vicinity of the Weald Avenue and Lullington Avenue junction.
“The primary objective of our petition is to ensure that there is a safe way for children to walk to and from the schools in the area but we feel that other residents would also benefit from our proposal.
“While there are pedestrian crossings at the Sackville Road and Holmes Avenue junctions, the Weald Avenue and Lullington Avenue junction is the main route chosen for people walking north and south of the Old Shoreham Road as it allows them to avoid having to walk directly along the Old Shoreham Road.
“The Old Shoreham Road has very heavy traffic and a significant proportion of vehicles which exceed the speed limit.
“Most parents view this as a danger to their children.
“I have personally witnessed many drivers treating the road like a dual carriageway and driving at excessive speeds.
“It is our assertion that there is currently no safe way to cross the Old Shoreham Road at the Weald Avenue and Lullington Avenue junction.
“Our options for crossing are either to wait for a sufficient gap in the traffic to cross the road in one go or to cross in two parts, one side at a time, by waiting at a tiny island in the centre of the road.
“Most people favour the latter approach as it can take a long time for there to be a suitable gap in the traffic to cross in one go.
“The school run tends to coincide with peak traffic times, making the wait even longer.
“And from a parent’s point of view, standing at length at the side of the Old Shoreham Road is itself a danger.
“The crossing can generally be completed much faster if you tackle it in two and for most people this is seen to be the lesser of two evils.
“The island in the centre of the road is totally inadequate.
“A child or even an adult could stand in just slightly the wrong place and be clipped by a passing vehicle.
“I have personal experience of trying to cross the road in this way with a baby in a buggy and two small children and it’s no exaggeration to say that it is very, very frightening.
“In the process of talking to neighbours about this petition, we understand that many local residents are concerned about road safety in the area.
“We hope … that an investigation can be carried out and measures put it place to ensure safe travel for pedestrians and in particular children in our neighbourhood.”
The council referred the petition to its Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee where the situation will be discussed on Tuesday 23 January.
