Official 20mph speed limit for Uckfield High Street approved

The Traffic Regulation Order would cover the stretch of the high street from Hempstead Road to Mill Drove.

The new limit would also cover Bell Walk, River Way, Civic Approach, Regency Close, Pudding Cake Lane, Library Way, as well as parts of Hempstead Road, Church Street and Bell Lane.

East Sussex County Council’s Planning Committee voted not to uphold objections to the TRO when it met on Wednesday May 23.

The second stage of a project to improve Uckfield town centre finished in September 2016 and included the introduction of new 20mph speed limits to improve road safety and the environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

However due to an oversight the draft TRO for the new speed limits was not advertised, while a number of signs were either missing or in the wrong places.

Officers explained that this had confused some drivers and the signs were taken down while a TRO was introduced.

During the consultation four representations were received, one in support and three objections, although one of these was withdrawn.

The two remaining objections argued that the limits should be extended to include other roads, would serve no purpose, could not be enforced, would have no effect on road safety and suggested the expense could not be justified.

However the committee recommended the draft TRO be made as advertised.

Claire Dowling (Con, Uckfield North), a member of the Uckfield Regeneration Committee, said she was ‘fully supportive’ of the scheme.

She suggested if residents wanted the 20mph speed limit extended to other roads this could be done as part of stage four of the improvement scheme.