New parking restrictions planned in Crowborough

On Wednesday (March 13), East Sussex County Council’s planning committee will discuss plans to introduce a new traffic regulation order in the town.

According to council documents, the restrictions aim to improve road safety and visibility by preventing parking at several junctions.

In a report to the committee, a council spokesman said: “The proposals aim to address the safety concerns at a number of junctions in Crowborough, which have been raised over a number of years.

“It is fully appreciated that the loss of any on street parking will be contentious when there are so many competing demands for parking within the limited road space.

“For this reason and to ensure any restriction is as self-enforcing as possible, the restrictions have been kept to a minimum.”

The proposed traffic regulation order would see new parking restrictions introduced at 11 sites within the town.

They include no waiting zones at: the junction of Gladstone Road and South Street; the junction of Blackness Road and Huntingdon Road; the junction of Windsor Road and Windsor Place; and the junctions between the A26, Batchelors Field and Goldsmiths Avenue.

A no waiting area will also be created at Beacon Gardens, which is described as being on a sharp bend near to Highlands Close.

Double-yellow lines will also be introduced at the junction of School Lane and St Johns Road and at the junction of Elim Court Gardens and London Road.

While council officers say the traffic order has been put forward following requests from ‘residents and other interested parties’, most of the specific proposals have seen some local objection.

The committee is not recommended to uphold most of these objections, but officers have suggested making an amendment to one proposal in light of local comments.  

The amended proposal relates to the introduction of a 15-minute parking limit to a lay-by outside of Poundfield Stores in Green Lane. Officers had initially intended the restriction to run between 8am and 5pm, but are now recommending it run from 9am to 5pm after concerns about parking pressure from residents.

Several objectors also raised concern about the enforcement of the parking restrictions, criticising the lack of civil parking enforcement within Wealden.

In a report, a East Sussex council officer said: “Sussex Police have openly stated that, in the absence of Civil Parking Enforcement, the amount of enforcement they can offer to parking restrictions is limited.

“However, the lengths of restriction proposed have been kept to a minimum and put in places where drivers looking for somewhere to park can see a reason for their placement.

“It is hoped that the placement of these markings at road junctions and on sharp bends will mean that the restrictions are as self enforcing as possible.”

The committee is set to make a decision on the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday, March 13.