Councils’ support for 30mph limit on ‘dangerous’ Horsham road

Langhurstwood Road Residents Group wrote to West Sussex County Council following Biffa’s decision earlier this year to stop clearing up rubbish between their site and the A264 due to safety reasons and the current 40mph speed limit.

The residents believe that although there has always been a need for a 30mph speed limit in Langhurstwood Road, the decision to stop litter picking meant there was a ‘renewed sense of urgency to make this happen’.

Brian Johnson, on behalf of the group, spoke to both WSCC’s North Horsham County Local Committee on Monday December 14 and North Horsham Parish Council’s Planning, Environment and Transport Committee on Thursday December 10.

At Monday’s meeting he said: “The lifestyles of all of the residents have been affected by these HGV movements and this has gotten worse over the years.”

Peter Catchpole (Con, Holbrook) said he supported the reduction because of the ‘aggravation’ suffered by residents, and believed the litter on the roads was an ‘extra factor which has now come into play’.

Plans to reduce the speed limit on Langhurstwood Road was considered by the North Horsham CLC March 2014, and was placed on the holding list of Traffic Regulation Order requests for further investigation.

Brad Watson (Con, Southwater and Nuthurst), chairman of the committee, said: “We fully understand the length of time this has been on the books and the long frustration on that road as it has had to bear the brunt of all this heavy traffic.”

He explained that a change to the TRO process would mean that plans for a 30mph limit in Langhurstwood Road would be appraised next year against other priorities.

Meanwhile Norsham Horsham parish councillors voiced their support for a reduction in the speed limit and the resumption of litter picking activities.

Sally Wilton, chairing the planning, environment and transport committee meeting, explained she had written to Mr Watson supporting a 30mph speed limit and expressing the belief that the road was ‘unsuitable for the amount of heavy goods traffic now using it’.

Parish councillor David Searle felt that the road could be ‘really dangerous’ as traffic often sped over the top of the hill, and added: “Something really needs to be done.”

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