Whilst our attention over the last few weeks has been on the A259 through Rye and Winchelsea, shouldn’t we also think about safety on some of the other local roads, says David Hawkins.
Pedestrians of all ages who are obliged to cross Rye Hill at the junction of Military Road face an alarmingly rapid traffic flow.
Some form of traffic calming is needed before a serious accident occurs.
Provision of a pedestrian crossing and or flashing amber lights and or “sleeping policeman” speed bumps would improve safety at this location.
Equally a blanket 20mph speed limit in Rye (as per several London suburban centres and 30kmph in even small French provincial towns) would improve overall road safety whilst causing minor delay to residents and through traffic.
What do you think? Would you be in favour of a 20mph speed limit in Rye? Leave a comment below.
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Image Credits: James Stewart .
Udimore Road hasn’t got a problem according to the council. The speed the motorbikes go over the mini roundabout is Isle of Man TT speed.
I would definitely be in favour of a 20 mph speed limit in Rye. With its narrow roads and even narrower pavements it seems to me to be a no brainer. A couple of days ago my wife and I were attempting to cross the road at the Rye Hill and Military Road junction with the usual heavy fast moving traffic and agreed that a pedestrian crossing was essential. We are lucky enough to be very mobile but it must be a nightmare for anyone with mobility issues.
My effective speed passing through Rye doesn’t get much above 20mph anyway — every turning brings the possibility of a happy tourist forgetting they’re in a real town and stepping off the pavement. So yes, I’d support a blanket 20mph, as long as there were some real effort put into enforcing it. And there are definitely spots — that crossing on Rye Hill is one of them, the junction by the Waterworks another, the bottom stretch of Udimore Road from the bridge to the hill a third — where more attention should be given to the safety of both pedestrians and drivers. There must be ways of making those spots safer without waiting for a few fatalities to “improve” the statistics.
It is no exaggeration to say that vehicles (and by vehicles I don’t mean just cars but large vans and even HGVs) travel up and down Rye Hill at speeds well in excess of the 30 mph limit. There is one feeble circular 30 mph sign on the whole stretch though flashing 30 signs opposite The Hub and again approaching Military Road seek to warn vehicles. The fact that lamp-posts are situated the required distance apart for a 30 zone is immaterial to most road users who are not aware of such a provision in the Highway Code. Rye Hill has tended to be neglected as a road out of Rye encouraging high speeds. The non-adherence to 30 mph is clear to me as when travelling (as a boring old f*** !) at 30 both up and down the hill (I live off Rye Hill) I am routinely tail-gated by other vehicles. The 30 mph speed restriction is there to ensure the safety of ALL road users and there is no excuse for not sticking to it at any time of day or night. Other problems on Rye Hill are the lack of a road island close to St. Bartholomew’s Court (like the one near the Cemetery) to enable people from this elderly people’s accommodation and those who have visited Rye Medical Centre to cross the road safely to the bus stop opposite to return to Rye. Also the turning into Deadman’s Lane, which is probably used by approaching 40-50% of the vehicles coming both down and up the hill has a kerb that does not constitute a step down and indicate that a busy road turn is to be crossed by people walking down Rye Hill which many people do, again after visiting the Medical Centre or to go shopping. A pedestrian/car collision here is at some point is inevitable.
The idea of a 20 mph in Rye is good ln principle but as there’s little or no enforcement of the current 30 limit who would enforce a 20 limit.
An ‘active ‘ camera on South Undercliff would help but wouldn’t be able to catch motor bikes who regularly achieve speeds in excess of 70 mph due to the illegal number plates many have fitted.
Completely agree – and something on the zebra crossing outside jempsons- the amount of cars that just zip over that seems like an accident waiting to happen.
Yes I agree that Rye Hill – Military Road crossing is very dangerous. A zebra crossing should not be that difficult to implement
It is definitely time to Reduce Speed Limits and Improve Pedestrian and cyclists Safety in Rye !
The excessive speed of certain vehicles within Rye, particularly along Military Road, Winchelsea Road, Cinque Ports Street, south under-cliff , ferry road and Wish Street is a time bomb for an accident.
Walking or cycling around Rye has become increasingly unsafe, especially compared to larger cities such as London when it feels easier to be a pedestrian , or as mentioned in the article all over France , where pedestrian and cyclist protection is generally better enforced. For residents and visitors alike, particularly those walking with dogs, young children, elderly relatives, or individuals with disabilities , navigating our town’s narrow pavements and crossing its roads can be very hazardous.
There is no justification for vehicles to accelerate or travel at high speeds through a small, historic town such as ours. Many residents, as well as visiting friends and tourists, have commented on how alarming the traffic speeds are, with some international visitors expressing particular shock at the lack of enforcement or limitation.
I strongly urge the council to consider introducing lower speed limits, clearer signage, and additional safety measures to protect pedestrians and cyclists before some more serious accident occurs.
In a recent visit to Australia, driving many hundreds of miles, we noticed that severe speed limits like 20mph were sensibly only applied at certain times, in certain situations. As an example, outside schools, a sign stated 20mph during school hours (hrs stated).
As a driver with a 50 year clean license record, it is impossibly difficult to drive at 20mph, whilst observing the road, traffic movements, and pedestrians, in all weathers. The traffic situation in London should certainly not be held up as a beacon of rational thinking.
Yes, Rye does need a 20mph limit, particularly – on the one way systems – it is almost universal in London.
Military Road is very dangerous for pedestrians. We have to walk from the Rye Hill junction as far as the footpath at the side of Playden House when walking home from the town. The pavement is very narrow and we worry that a large vehicle, passing at speed, will cause us to stumble and this is before we come across the parked commercial vehicles which frequently block the pavement meaning we have to walk in the road, putting ourselves in even more danger. Effective enforcement of the speed limit plus banning pavement parking is long overdue.
During the summer months, the roaring of motorbikes flying up and down Rye Hill at speed is horrendous for those of us that live there.
Something that hasn’t been mentioned is mobility scooters on roads. I have watched, heart in mouth, lorries coming around blind bends at speed, only to find a mobility scooter in their path. I would plead with mobilty scooter users to please use the footpaths when available. Are mobility scooters licenced/insured for driving on the roads? Should they have lights, etc? Who would be liable if an accident was caused by their being used on public roads? Another important safety issue.
Double yellow lines are urgently needed on South Undercliffe, where bottlenecks due to parked cars will eventually lead to emergency services being unable to attend emergencies.
Married to a Scot i spend some time every year driving in Central Scotland where a 20mph limit applies in many (most?) villages and towns. Not a problem, except for those who regard it as an infringement of their rights. The 20mph signs should be installed at the Salts, after the road bridge, halfway down Rye Hill, at or near Rye Harbour Road, and somewhere around Tilling Green. Within the citadel, 15mph would be appropriate, possibly less.
The downside is the defacing of the town with signage (which needs sorting too). For the same reason, avoid a zebra crossing if possible.
It is a difficult road to cross, especially with the blind bend just near point Hill although I think one of the most dangerous points is at the top of the hill pub they used to be a mirror on the opposite side of the road so cars leaving the pub car park could see what was coming up the hill, I live at the top of the hill and whilst walking the dog I often see cars pull out and it is completely blind to traffic coming up the hill if and when I can I wave the cars across or tell them to wait because something is coming up some actually pay attention some just pull out and how there hasn’t been a major accident there is only by sheer luck, it really does need a mirror opposite the pub where it always used to sit I don’t know who’s responsibility. It is to do but it definitely needs it.
20 mph speed limits is not the answer in Rye without enforcement cameras, as many motorists ignore the speed limits daily in the town,especially the outskirts like new road and new Winchelsea road,the only real calming measures are at least 4 new zebra crossings, at the bottom of Rye hill,New Roaad,South undercliffe, and at the top of Station Approach, as for street clutter,stopping motorists parking on double yellows lines and on the pavements should also be a priority, before someone gets seriously injured.
I think we’re all agreed on the 20mph but also the need to enforce it with cameras and fines.
Rye has so many blind spots – Military Road, by the Cricketers, outside Jempsons and the station, entrance to Masons Road, Rye Harbour Road, the list goes on.
Physical speed control is needed:
Sleeping policeman, narrow carriageways, flashing lights etc.
Many new and late vehicles are fitted with speed limiters drivers can easily activate with a simple press of a button on the steering wheel. Once familiar with these controls, it becomes natural to activate and change as soon as you approach and exit lower speed limit zones. Some vehicles are fitted with speed limit recognition which drivers can activate and deactivate. However, this is only effective when speed limit signs are positioned appropriately. Personally, I choose not to use the latter function, because I encounter too many instances when the speed limit recognition doesn’t work as intended solely due to poor positioning of speed limit signs. However, I do frequently set my speed limiter according to the speed limit, and to the frustration of countless motorists, religiously in 20, 30 and 40mph zones simply because it is so easy to exceed these speed limits. If your vehicle has a speed limiter function, USE IT! If you cannot use it safely, you should seriously consider surrendering your drivers license.
Regarding the crossing at the Military Road junction on Rye Hill, whenever I am going that way, if I see a pedestrian/s patiently waiting to cross, providing it is safe to do so, I bring the traffic behind me to a stop to allow them to cross safely. It is a kindly thing to do, and pedestrians young and old usually appreciate the gesture, even if drivers behind me are not so understanding.
I agree with John Tolhurst, turning Rye into a 20mph zone is pointless without proper enforcement. The 30mph limits in Rye aren’t enforced. I have lost count of the number of times cars and vans have sped past me as I travel at 30mph, or witnessed all types of vehicles not slowing down for them (most notably, first thing in the morning, Royal Mail trucks hurtling into Rye from East Guldeford).
Traffic management has many options up it’s sleeve nowadays. 10/15/20mph zones are proven to reduce accidents. However they usually are paired with other measures, such as speed bumps, pedestrian prioritisation (Ashford is the country’s worst example of this), and cameras.
If we’re serious about enforcing the 20mph limit through Rye’s one-way system, the VECTOR-SR camera is probably the best fit. It’s designed for town centres and slower traffic, and it’s already being used in places like Manchester and South Wales. It’s accurate, discreet, and can pick up more than just speeding, things like red-light running and vehicle type too.
Costs aren’t small, but they’re clear:
• Camera: £30k–£50k
• Installation: £10k–£20k
• Annual upkeep: around £3.5k–£4k
If the one-way stretch is longer and more continuous, SPECS average speed cameras could work, they track speed over distance, but Rye’s layout probably suits VECTOR-SR better.
It’s not just about catching people out (e.g. speeding motorbikes and boy-racers), it’s about making the roads safer and encouraging drivers to respect the limit.
Out of town park and ride schemes have been a great way of reducing traffic on congested roads, whilst raising revenue for more traffic management schemes.
Zebra crossings are fine if positioned correctly, whoever decided to put two crossing that close to a roundabout on the Strand can’t have been a driver, an articulated lorry measuring around 55 feet long that stops at either crossing will still be on the roundabout, now I did my HGV 1 test many moons ago but stopping on a roundabout was a no no.
If they put a crossing in military road that’s going to lose a lot of free parking spaces which won’t go down well with those who use it for commuting parking.
As for a 20mph speed limit? They can’t even enforce the current limits so why would lowering them help?
Indeed… When I lived in Military Road I never had any significant problems crossing the road at the junction to Rye Hill.
It also needs to be kept in mind that slowing cars down in Rye will mean that there will be permanently more cars driving around in the town because they will all need more time to traverse it, no matter how many, or few, people actually want to cross the roads. It might mean that it will actually be more difficult to cross on foot in a more congested town. Do the math.
I observe that there is a 20mph limit on the road ourside East Sussex County Council’s HQ in st Catherine’s Place, St Anne’s Crescent, Lewes.
My elderly mother used to live in Military Road, I always worried about her crossing the road at the bottom of Rye Hill, consequently, I wrote to East Sussex CC regarding provision of a zebra crossing. Their reply was that it couldn’t be justified as there was no evidence it was dangerous because there had been no fatalities!
I was told this, too. And when I pointed out that a proper zebra crossing would also have the effect of slowing speeding traffic in both directions, I was told that it was too expensive—as if the cost of some white paint and a couple of electric lights should take precedence over a human life.
Several years ago, I asked a councillor about the possibility of installing traffic-calming measures, including speed cameras, on Military Road, to encourage better behaviour from drivers of motorcyclists roaring in from the direction of Appledore, and was told bluntly that it was not possible “because Rye is an historic town.”
For those concerned about speeding in Rye there is an active Speedwatch volunteer group that you can join. All vehicles recorded by the Speedwatch team are reported to the police. If you would like more information please write to me via my Rye Town Council email address which can be found by going to Rye Town Council’s website.
There is an added issue when exiting Military Road onto Rye Hill if youi are in a larger or taller vehicle – the brown pub sign. This effectively blocks vision looking up the hill for any oncoming traffic, necessitating the need to creep out to see if the way is clear. A recipie for a collision with a speeding vehicle.
I disagree with Chris Hoggarts letter concerning his speedwatch volunteer group trying to slow the traffic down, especially on the A259. Their camera system only works for the duration of the time they are prepared to give, once they disappear the traffic speeds up once again. The idea is great but just does NOT work and is NOT the permanent answer and will never solve Ryes speeding traffic problem. I believe (possibly) the answer is a permanent speed camera as most motorists would slow down and check their speed when being confronted by a speed camera.
If a series of speed bumps/sleeping policemen were put in place from by the Cricketers around the bend that goes up Rye Hill and into Military Road it would prevent speeding motorists behaving like idiots. Last week I helped an elderly lady across the road into Military Rd and a car had come over the bridge at a ridiculous speed. If she had gone alone there would have been no way the car would have been able to stop and she wouldn’t have made it across. It’s not rocket science and I’m sure it’s an affordable way to keep speeds down.
I do not want to put a dampener on all those sensible people who want speed calming measures in Rye, but you do not stand a chance.
On the A28 in Brede there is a traffic island in the middle of the road near the Village Hall. It had two reflective Keep Left bollards and a pole with a similar sign. The bollards and signs were removed by a vehicle. It took over 14 months to get them replaced, the excuse, none were available. The island remained a serious traffic hazard in the meantime.
When eventually replaced they lasted 13 days before being removed entirely by another vehicle. Following emails to ESCC Highways it was indicated that they would be replaced within 14 days and latterly in 28 days. Needless to say they haven’t been. Again it has been several months with a serious traffic hazard in the middle of the road.
The identities of the drivers regarding the traffic island signs are known, so an insurance claim can be made by ESCC Highways, so finance cannot be the reason for this inertia, therefore it must be something else, perhaps lack of interest in this end of the county maybe.
A speed limit sign south of the Red Lion has fallen over because the pole has rusted away. I wonder if the Highways Inspector has noticed that.
I have written before about the lack of funding available from County Hall, Lewes, for Eastern Rother, I am afraid that the above indicates that nothing has changed. Nor will it be any different when we are governed by a Mayor based in Brighton.