Campaign for pedestrian crossing

Members of the Kingston Road and Cranedown Residents Association (KRCRA) have been campaigning for many years to try to slow the traffic on the C7 Kingston Road from Newhaven into Lewes.

A spokesperson for the group said: “Members have worked hard to ensure a safe way for non-vehicular users to travel to and from Lewes.

“Unfortunately, many drivers still use the section of road from Wellgreen Lane to the bridge over the A27 at speeds well over the 40mph speed limit. Some cars even overtake along this short section of the C7, causing immense risk to other drivers and pedestrians alike. Because of these speeds, it would not be safe to reduce the speed limit without also building some features to physically slow traffic.

“In part to achieve this, and to allow easier crossing of this very busy road, we are aiming to fund the building of a pedestrian island near the entrance to Cranedown. We have, with advice from East Sussex CC’s engineers, considered various locations, but all other options were prohibitively expensive.

“The cost of the crossing is approximately £20,000. We have been offered match funding from East Sussex County Council’s Community Match programme, so must raise £10,000 ourselves. We have already received contributions from Lewes Town Council, the Sussex Community Foundation and the When Skies Were Always Blue Trust, totalling more than £4,200, and are currently working to raise the remaining funds.”

A county council spokesman said: “Our Community Match Fund scheme allows communities to take forward schemes which are not a priority for the council but are important to residents.

“We have been working closely with the Kingston Road and Cranedown Residents Association on this proposal and have agreed we will match fund the project if they can raise half of the £20,000.

“We are aware the group have already raised a significant proportion and are working hard to raise the rest of the money. If this target can be achieved, we hope to be able to complete detailed designs and to construct the new island by the end of the current financial year.”

Visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/build-a-central-refuge-on-c7-slow-traffic to donate.

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