Rottingdean High Street is getting a new 18-month trial layout to try and get traffic to flow more easily and improve air quality.
Work to install a chicane, no stopping box and a ban on right turns from West Street is to start next Friday, October 25.
Brighton and Hove City Council has drawn up the plans in partnership with Rottingdean Parish Council.
The new layout includes:
- A temporary chicane outside 80-82 High Street (north of Park Road/south of the existing zebra crossing) with a give way to the north giving priority to northbound traffic
- A no stopping (yellow hatched) box on the southbound lane from southern building line of Dene’s Mews (northern wall of 66 High Street) to the southern boundary of 29 High Street
- A ban on right turns out of West Street
The chicane aims to encourage a free flow in the narrowest bit of the High Street where the air quality is worst.
The yellow hatched box on the southbound lane should prevent vehicles from waiting in the same area and the ban on right turns out of West Street will prevent vehicles blocking the northbound lane.
The changes will be in place for up to 18 months and residents and business owners are being encouraged to share their views within the first six months.
Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee said: “We are pleased to have worked with Rottingdean Parish councillors to install with these practical measures to tackle the very serious air quality issues in the village.
“The health and wellbeing of our residents is paramount and reductions in vehicle emissions, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are essential if we are to improve the city’s air quality.
This scheme is part of our wider campaign to reduce emissions which also includes investing in sustainable travel and public transport, developing electric vehicle infrastructure and encouraging behavioural change.”
Councillor Sue John, chair of Rottingdean Parish Council commented: “Air pollution in our High Street has long been a concern, posing a significant health risk to residents and visitors and deterring people from using the shops. There are no easy solutions but we hope that these measures, together with greater take-up of electric vehicles and buses will reduce air pollution and make this a healthier and more pleasant environment.”
Rottingdean has been the subject of an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) since 2013 as levels of nitrogen dioxide have exceeded the statutory limit set by the government. Vehicles are the main source of the emissions.
Rottingdean Parish Council and Brighton & Hove City Council formed a joint action group in response to serious public concerns about this issue.
The proposals seek to address air quality issues in the section of the High Street south of Park Street where homes are particularly near to the kerb. In this area, nitrogen dioxide exceeds EU and UK regulations, presenting a health hazard to for residents.
During the trial, additional air quality monitoring technology will be installed to establish the success of the scheme in improving air quality in the area.
Plans for the scheme can be viewed here. Comments are open for six months from 18 October 2019 and can be made by clicking on TRO-30-2019 when it appears on the proposals webpage.
I hope they are adjusting the traffic lights to allow for the longer journey to get to the lights
Those lights are a nightmare, often allowing only 3 or 4 vehicles out of the Hight Street with each change. Unless they do alter the timings I’d imaging people not being able to get through the yellow hatched area!
Yellow hatched area has been needed for sometime. But the chicane is an awful idea, causes a lot more holdups, blocking of other side roads from queuing traffic headed south down Rottingdean High St. Surely this is making the air pollution worse..