Cross in Hand Village News

FATAL ACCIDENT - MAYFIELD FLAT, CROSS in HAND: I attended a Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council Highways and Planning meeting on 14 October at the Community Centre. Cross in Hand. The fatal accident at Mayfield Flat was on the agenda and it was discussed in length. A local resident who lives very close to the site of the accident, Sarah Jones, made a presentation to the council outlining a number of speed and traffic violations of traffic passing her property. She outlined a number of initiatives that have been set up; particularly the Facebook ‘A267 Safety Action Group’ which had been formed to help make the road safer. The group is focusing on the hotspots on the A267, namely Mayfield and Five Ashes, Wellbrook Hill, Hadlow Down - the junction of the A272 and the A267, Cross in Hand, Mayfield Flat and Isenhurst junctions and Horam - Little London Road. As only two weeks had passed since the accident near Mayfield Flat, the Action Group’s plans include creating a petition to improve safety and ensure people are aware of the various dangerous spots, difficult bends, poor visibility and road surfaces. Support for this incentive was sought from the Parish Council. A resolution was proposed and seconded on the following: To step up the local Speedwatch initiative

SUSSEX SAFER ROADS: Sussex Police has given notice that it will be leaving the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership. The partnership is made up of teams from East and West Sussex County Councils and Fire & Rescue Services, Brighton and Hove City Council, National Highways and, until now, Sussex Police. Its aim is to make things safer on the roads, reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured. A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Hundreds of families every year live with the sudden and life-changing impact of losing someone they love in a road collision. “In Sussex alone last year, there were 320 collisions in which people were killed or seriously injured on our roads. Every death is one too many and we are committed to working even more effectively and innovatively to improve road safety across the county. Following discussions with local partners, we have taken the decision to withdraw from the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership to focus on creating more bespoke and effective partnerships with individual agencies at a localised level. We are confident this approach will better serve the public and improve road safety overall across Sussex.” The situation was discussed with Commissioner Katy Bourne during a meeting of the Police & Crime Panel. Mrs Bourne said conversations with the other partners were ongoing to decide what the partnership would look like in the future. She added that keeping the roads safe was a priority in the Police & Crime Plan for the next four years. Mrs Bourne recognised the need for change. She told the panel that the numbers of deaths and serious injury had remained much the same over the last 10 years, adding: “We keep doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome.” As for the impact of Sussex Police leaving the partnership, she said: “I sincerely hope it does have a positive impact and I will definitely be expecting the police to continue their good work on the roads and to work very closely with all the partners. But I think the current set-up for the partnership is the one that is being re-looked at.” East Sussex councillor Ian Hollidge (Con, Bexhill South) encouraged the police to carry on working with the partnership. Describing his passion for road safety and interest as a cyclist, he added: “There are too many people that fear cycling on the roads or sometimes walking along the streets because of erratic and irresponsible driver behaviour.”

WEALDEN POLICE THEFTS FROM VANS: We are investigating a series of thefts from vehicles, mainly vans, in the Hailsham, Hellingly, Heathfield and Maresfield areas. Tools and other items have been stolen from the parked vehicles overnight over a two-week period with the most recent reported on Saturday (12 October). We are stepping up policing patrols in the area and are also advising owners in the area to make sure their vehicle is locked and parked in a well lit area. If possible, remove tools and other property from the vehicle overnight. For more advice read here http://spkl.io/6185fuEzF If you witnessed any of these incidents or have any information, please report online or call 101 quoting Operation Kansas. Many vans were broken into on Saturday night 12 October in Heathfield and tools stolen. A suspicious character came to our drive and was deliberately casing our property. Although some twelve miles away our CCTV was linked to my phone, thus enabling me to warn the chap he was being watched over the intercom. Startled he quickly departed.