Resident sees red over street party road closure

Jo Davis has told county and district councillor Michael Ensor: “I am absolutely outraged at your inconsideration for local residents by obtaining a road closure order for your Royal Wedding party on April 29.”

With her own road already closed by ongoing roadworks for the installation of new sewers, Ms Davis added: “Due to your inconsiderate nature you have successfully cut off any vehicle access to Windsor Road, Leopold Road, Victoria Road and Reginald Road.”

She claimed this could endanger the lives of 1,000 people living in the area who may need emergency vehicles and had “stopped any of us who are not interested in the Royal Wedding from being able to come and go freely to our properties in our vehicles”.

Ms Davis concluded: “I would not have a problem with this if Reginald Road wasn’t closed for works, but it is and I do not believe people’s lives should be put at risk purely for a social function most people in this country aren’t interested in.”

Cllr Ensor agreed that an initial letter from him to residents to gauge interest in a street party had only resulted in a one-in-ten response, all of these being in favour, but said that since then a committee had been formed and funds raised to create a programme of events for next Friday.

These include morris dancers, folk music, games, a fancy dress competition and a children’s bouncy castle, but Cllr Ensor stressed:” It is a condition of the Victoria Road closure order that emergency vehicles will be given access should this be necessary.”

He said that he had also been in touch with East Sussex County Council and the Reginald Road sewerage contractors Clancy Docwra. Both had assured him of good progress and had agreed to temporarily remove some of the heavy equipment next Friday to make residents’ access easier on that day.

In effect, Reginald Road will be opened up for one-way traffic from Terminus Road during the celebrations.

Cllr Ensor said Rother District Council had granted a road closure order along Victoria Road between its junctions with London Road and Windsor Road after normal consultations with police and highways.