Negative impact of road changes

This stretch of road is only 1.8 miles long intercepted by two roundabouts with an additional roundabout at each end. To achieve 70mph will involve rapid acceleration followed by rapid deceleration to navigate the roundabouts. This will increase carbon emissions as well as noise pollution, that will contravene both the recent global climate change report whereby governments are being urged to take steps to reduce emissions, as well as the environmental commitments made by WSCC in its transport plan 2011-2026.

The consequent increase in poor air quality and noise (traffic noise increases from 50mph to 70mph by 50%, and acceleration contributes 10% of traffic noise) will negatively impact on local residents, employees at the new hub, students at St Pauls Catholic College and pedestrians, cyclists and horseriders using the footpath/cycleway proposed to run alongside the A2300.

The A2300 links the A23 (which has a 70mph speed limit) to Burgess Hill. For reasons of safety and driving behaviour it is important to calm the traffic before it enters the urban areas and surrounding rural roads.

Wouldn’t it be more sensible to have a speed limit of 50mph on this stretch of road, enforced by cameras, to ensure a constant flow of traffic at a speed consistent with approaching an urban area? Over such a short distance, the time gained by drivers travelling at 70mph instead of 50mph is approximately 40 seconds which is reduced to about 20 seconds with the need to navigate two roundabouts.

What is the justification of a gain of 20 seconds against the impact of increased emissions and noise levels and as well as the safety factors highlighted in this letter that will result from increasing the speed limit to 70mph?

Jo Kyndt

Jobs Lane, Goddards Green