Brighton residents’ plea for safety barrier after three crashes

People in Upper Abbey Road, Brighton[1], are due to put their plea to a council committee next week after speaking out about the issue at a meeting of the full council last month. In a deputation on Thursday, October 19, twelve residents urged the council to reinstate the barrier that protected pedestrians and properties opposite the corner Whitehawk Hill Road and by a service road at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. One of the residents, Peter Moore, told councillors that the barrier was put in place after several incidents in the late 1990s.

Cars coming down Whitehawk Hill Road had crashed into houses prompting residents to seek help from the council. A “robust cage barrier” was placed on the west side of Upper Abbey Road, almost certainly by East Sussex[2] County Council, which was the highways authority for the area before 1997. Mr Moore said that the barriers had been damaged repeatedly and had to be replaced, demonstrating that they were vital to protect pedestrians and people in their homes.

But in July, without consultation or warning, the Upper Abbey Road barrier was removed and Brighton and Hove[3] City Council put dropped kerbs in on both sides of the road. Mr Moore said: “If consulted, residents would have explained the need for the protective barriers and insisted on them being reinstated or the crossing being altered. “It was not long after, on Monday, August 21, that we were awoken by the sound of a vehicle coming down Whitehawk Hill Road crashing into my house at the precise point that was previously protected by the barriers.

“Thankfully, no one was injured but the car demolished my wall and caused damage to number 35 and put two lampposts out of action.” The car was stolen and the driver fled. A second car crashed into Mr Moore’s home on Monday, August 28, and, in September, a parked van rolled down Whitehawk Hill Road after the handbrake failed, crashed into a resident’s car.

Mr Moore said that he felt unsafe in his home and that the repairs to his property were expected to cost GBP4,000. Residents have contacted the council about the barrier but Mr Moore said that the response from officials did not recognise the danger to people in their homes or to pedestrians from removing the barrier. He was not impressed by the siting of the dropped kerb either, saying: “Encouraging pedestrians, including buggy and wheelchair users, to cross the road at this already dangerous spot is questionable.

“While offering no protective barrier is reckless and irresponsible, it feels like we are waiting for a serious injury or fatality before the council acts.” Labour councillor Trevor Muten, who chairs the council’s Transport and Sustainability Committee, said that railings were under review as part of the Safer Streets programme. Councillor Muten said that East Sussex County Council installed the railings although there was no digital record to explain why.

He said: “The railings were not deemed suitable or robust enough as a vehicle crash mitigation system and are now damaged beyond repair. “The old railings are very unlikely to have prevented the vehicle from crashing into this wall.” The matter is due to come before the Transport and Sustainability Committee at Hove Town Hall next Tuesday (December 5).

The meeting is scheduled to start at 4pm and to be webcast on the council’s website.

References

1. ^ Brighton (www.theargus.co.uk)
2. ^ East Sussex (www.theargus.co.uk)
3. ^ Brighton and Hove (www.theargus.co.uk)