Change this danger junction, says victim

John Brabon was hit by the lorry as he tried to turn right from London Road north into Little Common Road. The lorry driver, crossing from London Road south, said he was unsighted.

Mr Brabon said the brand new car he was driving was virtually written off in the accident - which was one of many almost daily collisions at the junction.

"I cross this junction several times a day and it is dangerous. The layout should be changed to avoid accidents or at least the sequence of lights staggered to allow traffic coming from Sidley to turn right without fear of being hit. There is at lest one accident there each day," he claimed.

Mr Brabon had spoken of his concerns to the Highways Agency responsible for the main road three years ago and had been told that the junction would be surveyed.

"But three years later it is still a dangerous crossroad," he said. It is ridiculous. I don't think it would cost all that much money to stagger the lights sequence.

"It could do with a filter arrow to stop traffic turning right across the flow of traffic. But staggered lights would be just as good to allow the right turn to be made safely.

Mr Brabon, from St Andrew's Road, added: "This collision was the driver's fault, but 50 per cent of that was because of the layout of the junction."

A Highways Agency spokesman said on Friday: "The Highways Agency commissioned a study on the A259 in Bexhill, East Sussex and recommendations were made.

"The Agency is currently working with contractors on the design of the changes to the junction of Little Common Road/Belle Hill and King Offa Way. The changes will be made in this financial year 2002 to 2003.

"The recommendations are to modify the existing signal staging to accomodate separately signalled right turns for A259 approaches and to provide right turn indicative arrows for the London Road southbound approach.