Double yellow lines loom for Burgess Hill town centre

Speaking about the roads near his house, Matthew Havicon said that Church Close, St John’s Road, Park Road and surrounding roads suffer from too many cars, thin roads, cars parked close to junctions and faded double yellow lines.

He said: “You take life into your own hands when you pull out, you cannot see a thing.

“I can’t understand the apathy of people, they say it’s just the way it is but maybe when it’s their child under a car they may think differently.

“There’s so little space people get frustrated.

“Every person that works and shops in Burgess Hill dumps their cars where we live.”

He has contacted the council and highways agency about his concerns, but said he fears nothing will be done until someone is badly injured.

Cllr Andrew Barrett-Miles said he is aware of the problem in the area.

He explained: “A number of TRO’s (Traffic Regulation Orders) are being processed for several junctions and lengths of road around and near St John’s Park and Church Close. These will allow double yellows lines to be introduced at these locations banning parking at all times.

“The proposed TROs will be out for consultation soon.”

Burgess Hill town mayor Anne Jones said: “People park here to shop or to go to work. The town is not built for this volume of cars.

“We can put double yellow lines everywhere, but residents don’t want that.

“We’re never going to have enough parking.”

She added that though there is not enough parking on the streets, the car parks are relatively empty.

“People just won’t pay. The real battle is for the needs of residents,” she said.