An Independent councillor has started an online petition to improve road safety along a busy road in his ward where a motorcyclist recently died.
Councillor Peter Atkinson, who represents North Portslade, started the petition after residents raised concerns about speeding traffic in Fox Way between Mile Oak and the A293 Hangleton Link Road.
Councillor Atkinson said: “I’m calling on the city council to take urgent action on road safety and traffic calming along Fox Way, in North Portslade.
“Residents have been raising the issue of speeding traffic along this stretch of road for a number of years now but the answer from the council has always been that this stretch of road has a good record in terms of accidents.
“Well, tragically, that’s no longer the case following a fatal collision recently involving motorcyclist, Luke Batchelor, and a speeding car.
“We shouldn’t have had to wait for someone to lose their life before action is taken.”
Councillor Atkinson is asking Brighton and Hove City Council to produce a plan urgently on traffic calming and speed signage.
He said: “The section of this road between Henge Way and Harebell Drive is quite straight and is bordered on one side by a field. This encourages some drivers to drive along here at dangerous and reckless speeds.
“And then, when it approaches Harebell Drive, there is a bend which conceals the exit from this road and there have been many near misses.”
The petition itself says: “We, the undersigned, call on the council to urgently review the problem of speeding vehicles in Fox Way, in North Portslade, in particular along the stretch of road between Foredown Road and Hamilton Close.
“This review should include what road safety and traffic calming measures could be introduced to avoid incidents, near misses and accidents for road users and pedestrians alike”
It can be accessed at https://democracy.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=832.
what is the speed limit now?
30mph but it really seems to be a stretch of road which attracts unnecessary speeding. Something is required.
They’ll slap up some signs that say ’20’ and claim job done, and everyone will keep on driving at 30-40mph just like on every other supposed 20mph road in Hove.
The road should have a bus gate. There’s no reason drivists can’t go a little further to the A27, a very expensive bit of dedicated driving infrastructure that many nevertheless refuse to use.
This is a nonsense comment because it’s highly unlikely anyone is on Fox Way because they refuse to use the A27. Fox Way is one of two roads in and out of Mile Oak and the A27 is not one of them and does not serve that area at all (it’s a bypass around Mile Oak).
Just as you say, we spent millions of pounds on dedicated driving infrastructure to bypass the city and yet drivists INSIST on driving on every other road instead, holding up buses and driving down the middle of the road. Most of them aren’t even wearing helmets! Do they even know how common TBIs are among drivists?
Idgie
Hmm, so if one needs to go cross country, one would use the A27 by-pass not Fox Way.
I should think most drivers using Fox Way would have some reason for being there, you know like residents who live in the area!!!
You don’t really expect that “they” are going to do something do you?
If its that serious, stop moaning and act.
DIY speed bumps. Doesn’t anyone have any wood, some long bolts and a bit of initiative?
Get a speed gun and record the speeders.
Spray paint your own zebra crossing and have a non-stop Conga across it.
Councillors?? zzzZZZ
Petitions?? zzzZZZ
Too busy fining people for speeding 80mph on a27. Bizarre as it’s far more dangerous to speed 40 to 50 along fox way.
I agree with this – I’d rather see road policing focus on people doing 40+ in residential areas where pedestrian risk is heightened than I would see them trying to nab people doing 80+ on the A27. That would be my preference anyway.
Perhaps a speed camera ?
I asked our local councillors about speed cameras to try and deter the idiots who regularly drive down Bear Road at twice or more the legal limit.
The only one who bothered to reply said they wouldn’t even consider doing anything until someone had been killed…