East Sussex County Council urged to install safe crossing on busy road in Newhaven

The county council recently said the Avis Road bus stops would move to a safer location and would get hard standing areas

The Lib Dems said this was ‘welcome’ but are urging the council to consider installing a safe crossing as well when they do this work.

They said: “The road desperately needs a safe crossing and residents have been calling out for one for years with hundreds signing a petition calling for one.”

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Councillor Sean Macleod (Lib Dems, Newhaven North) said: “We had hundreds of residents sign our petition calling for a safe crossing on Avis Road near drove ponds, the new bus stops are going to be located nearer drove ponds this is a perfect opportunity for East Sussex County Council to install a safe crossing. We are not asking for much and it shouldn’t take a death or someone being killed or seriously injured for the council to take action, school children, disabled residents and families cross here daily and it’s time it was made safer.”

A spokesperson for East Sussex County Council told the Sussex Express: “The county council has a finite amount of funding to develop local transport improvements, including road safety schemes, and we need to ensure that we target our resources to those schemes, which will be of greatest benefit to our local communities.

“An extension to the current 30mph speed limit along Avis Road in Newhaven as far as the A26, was approved at the Lead Member for Transport and Environment meeting on Monday, March 11. We anticipate that the design phase for this project will be completed this calendar year and the scheme implemented by spring 2025. We have noted the concerns raised about road safety on Avis Road, and will consider the petition relating to the installation of a pedestrian crossing when it is received.”

The council said bus stops are being relocated approximately 75m southeast on Avis Road.