Plans unveiled to make Rye’s danger road safe

The plans, which also include reducing the speed limit and extending double yellow lines, were given the backing of planners at Rye Town Council when they met this week.

The move follows years of campaigning by local residents to have the busy narrow lane made one-way from Rye Hill coming into Rye,

Under the plans the top part of the road will be one way but the bottom section, near Love Lane, will remain two way to maintain access for residents.

The one way system will be introduced this year as an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, which will give the county council the scope to amend plans.

Traffic volumes and speeds on the lane will be monitored during the experiment.

Chris Tree, a senior transport planner at East Sussex County Council, said: “We are proposing to reduce the 30mph speed limit to 20mph along the whole length of Deadmans Lane and to introduce parking restrictions at the southern end.

“Deadmans Lane is a narrow two-way lane that connects the A268 Rye Hill with Love Lane in Rye.

“The main vehicular movement is from Rye Hill to Love Lane. There have been rare instances when a vehicle has attempted to drive eastbound and has been confronted by an oncoming vehicle.

“The result of this is that one of the two vehicles has had to reverse back down the lane and sometimes out onto the A268, which causes a potential safety hazard.

“The proposal would ban the west-east movements along the eastern section, whilst retaining two-way access to the properties at the western end.

“The 20mph speed limit is being proposed to address concerns that if the road is made one-way that vehicle speeds will increase.

“The extension of double yellow lines is being proposed to assist pedestrians using the lane.”

Rye Council’s planning committee backed the proposals but took issue with the county councils claims that it was “rare” for vehicles to travel eastbound, saying it is a daily occurrence.

They also said that if the order is made permanent Highways should consider replacing the Give Way sign and markings with a Stop sign and markings.

They commented that the existing road markings at the Deadmans Lane and Love Lane junction are in need of reinstatement.