Petition calls for safer speed limits along A275 at Danehill and near ‘busy entrances’ at school

Campaigners in the area launched the petition at www.change.org/p/are-you-concerned-about-speed-limits-around-danehill, which is supported by Green Party East Sussex County Councillor Christina Coleman (Maresfield and Buxted division).

The petition calls on East Sussex County Council (ESCC) to review the current speed limits approaching Danehill and to improve safety for residents, road users and visitors.

Councillor Coleman said: “Residents have been raising concerns about speeding on the A275 for many years, and those concerns deserve to be taken seriously. Everyone should be able to travel through Danehill safely, whether they’re walking, cycling, driving or simply crossing the road.

“This petition is about demonstrating the strength of local feeling and asking East Sussex County Council to review whether the current speed limits remain appropriate. Lower speeds can significantly reduce both the likelihood and severity of collisions, helping to make Danehill a safer place for everyone.”

The campaigners feel that the current speed limits do not reflect the character of the area and lead to unnecessary risks for people using the village and surrounding roads.

Councillor Coleman’s message on the change.org petition page said: “Currently, the speed limit increases from 30mph in Danehill to 50mph immediately outside the village, and to 60mph soon after. This means that drivers approaching from the north must abruptly reduce their speed to 30mph.”

She also called the speed reduction signs ‘dirty and obscured’, which means drivers could fail to slow down.

He message continued: “Particularly concerning is the 60mph limit approaching Cumnor House School (Cumnor House Sussex). This is reduced to an absurd 50mph directly outside of the school, despite the presence of two busy entrances used by hundreds of children, parents and staff each day.”

Campaigners also believe that lower speeds would improve safety throughout Danehill by encouraging motorists to reduce their speed well before reaching the village. They say this would make the roads safer for vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Councillor Coleman said on the petition page: “I need evidence of local support for a speed reduction on this stretch of the A275. With your support, we can make our community safer.”

A spokesperson for East Sussex County Council said: “We are currently progressing a Speed Management Project that forms part of the council's wider aims to improve safety on roads across East Sussex, and we are directing our funding in areas which will have the greatest impact. The programme currently focuses on A and B class roads and include a number of speed limit reductions including the introduction of new 30mph, 40mph and 50mph speed limits at 16 priority sites. Further sites will be assessed and prioritised in future years.”