Burgess Hill ‘traffic chaos’: residents angry about new signals at Station Road

The lights, which are at the junction of Station Road, Church Road and Mill Road, are causing ‘long queues in all directions’, according to several people who have contacted the Middy.

West Sussex County Council said they are now trying to mitigate this problem.

Iain Lewis, of Silverdale Road, said: “There is a huge amount of resentment and anger by residents and small businesses by the ongoing chaos and gridlock of the roads around Burgess Hill caused by supposed improvements on Station Road.”

He said that three-way lights have been installed and replaced a mini roundabout that ‘worked perfectly’.

Iain continued: “Traffic now backs up all ways from Folders Lane and beyond through Burgess Hill and beyond to London Road pretty much every day.”

Ray Kingdom said: “Northbound traffic in Keymer Road is stationary during busy times (as back as Ferndale Road, as the lights only allow traffic in one direction.”

He said: “During the roadworks there were temporary lights and the traffic was chaotic but I think motorists accepted the situation as it was during roadworks. It seems the permanent solution will be just as bad and a step backwards from what was there before.”

West Sussex County Council said the works are part of the wider Local Growth Fund Burgess Hill Place and Connectivity Programme. This aims to support ‘improved sustainable transport infrastructure’ through the Burgess Hill Strategic Growth Programme. The council said the £4.7m project will deliver pedestrian, cycle and public realm improvements through Station Road, Queen Elizabeth Avenue and Wivelsfield Station.

Read an explainer about the Local Growth Fund Burgess Hill Place and Connectivity Programme here.

Amanda Stevens said some residents have ‘really had enough’ and want the former roundabout reinstated.

She said: “Burgess Hill residents have had to put up with disruption for months now while they put in cycle lanes and widened pavements on one side (again unnecessary). Just as we thought the work was finished they go and install these traffic lights in Mill Road so causing even more congestion.”

One reader added: “Residents are furious with WSCC for coming up with this ludicrous idea.”

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation with the new traffic signals at the junction of Station Road, Church Road and Mill Road and are currently looking at ways to mitigate the problem.

“During the design stages the signals were modelled based on traffic flows which demonstrated no adverse impact on the operation of the junction and aimed to keep both Station Road approaches, coming from the Waitrose direction and the station, running at the same time. However, when the signals were switched on and our engineer reviewed the safety process, we witnessed a number of concerning driver behaviours, with failure to give way to oncoming traffic when turning right from Station Road into Church Road. As a result, the decision was made to split the two Station Road approaches, so they now run independently of each other, which has been part of the reason why drivers are experiencing delays.”

The council said the ‘green time’ for traffic on both Station Road approaches was increased by 10 seconds on December 22 to improve traffic flow. They also said more adjustments to improve capacity will be introduced after Christmas.