A woman has called on her community to back an application for a new pedestrian crossing on a busy Brighton road.
Hollingbury resident Dani Ahrens wants to see a new crossing in Ditchling Road by the corner Woodbourne Avenue because of the danger for pedestrians there.
The prospect of a pedestrian crossing there is one of a number of options to spend the £35,583 allocated to Patcham and Hollingbury ward as part of the Better Brighton and Hove Fund.
The fund is made up of money collected by Brighton and Hove City Council from the “community infrastructure levy” charged to developers.
Ms Ahrens has been encouraging her community to back a crossing through the Hollingbury Matters Facebook group to make the road safer for people trying to reach Hollingbury Hill Fort and nearby green spaces.
She said: “Living up here is fantastic, in large part because we have so much green space on our doorstep – the Iron Age hillfort in the middle of the golf course, Hollingbury Park and woods, the opportunity to walk across open grassland to Hollingdean, Coldean, Wild Park and up to Ditchling Beacon.
“But to access all of that, we need to cross Ditchling Road at this very dangerous point where the traffic is extremely fast in both directions, cars and buses are frequently turning – and there is not even a central refuge to help pedestrians get across.
“The comments in the Hollingbury Matters Facebook group show that many local residents experience this as a problem.
“People walking their dogs or wanting to use the recycling point or take their children to the park need to navigate this nasty crossing.
“Even as an experienced cyclist, I find this junction unpleasant and I’m sure it is off-putting for people who might otherwise give cycling a go.
“Putting traffic lights there would make all these healthy day-to-day activities much safer and more attractive.”
Every electoral ward has at least £22,000 to spend from the Better Brighton and Hove Fund – and more in wards where more schemes are approved.
For example, Westdene and Hove Park, where several schemes have been given planning permission, has the largest sum available – nearly £91,000.
People have five votes and a choice of 749 ideas on Brighton and Hove City Council’s website, with voting due to close on Tuesday 5 May.
Hopefully successful
Reading some of the suggestions and ideas as well that are up on the website; there are several grant funding streams available to make those possible even if they were not awarded through this fund. I hope the Community Engagement Team takes the ideas as an opportunity beyond the initial funding.