Little Common gets traffic voice

East Sussex County Council is proposing changes in the area to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, provide better accessibility for bus users, and increase traffic flow in the Little Common area.

They include provision of two Puffin crossings.

Earlier proposals to make part of Church Hill Avenue one-way have been dropped in favour of a ban on right-turns from the avenue into the A259 trunk road at Church Hill.

A spokesman said this week: "These improvements will help achieve the aims of the second Local Transport Plan, which sets out the county council's approach to delivering a safe, and efficient integrated transport system for the county."

The plan covers a five-year period from 2006 to 2011.

Exhibitions will be held on Friday, February 16, from 3pm to 7pm and Saturday, February 17 from 11am to 3pm in the Kewhurst Hall at Little Common Community Centre.

The detailed proposals are as follows:

Cooden Sea Road

Improvements are proposed to make it easier and safer for people to walk around Little Common and make shops and services more accessible.

They include:

'¢Shortening the crossing distances for pedestrians at junctions by widening the pavement on both sides at both ends of Church Hill Avenue,

'¢Providing a puffin crossing outside the Coop store (also resulting in the loss of three parking spaces),

'¢Adding a disabled parking bay outside Coop store

'¢Improving facilities at bus stops, including kerbs suitable for low floor buses, and new shelters where needed, and

'¢Adding double yellow lines at the junction of Drayton Rise and Collington Lane West.

Cooden Sea Road, Church Hill Avenue and Wheatsheaf Roundabout

Improvements are proposed to improve access to buses, provide a safer route to Little Common Primary School and manage traffic.

They include:

'¢Shortening crossing distances for pedestrians at junctions, as above,

'¢Replacing the zebra crossing with a puffin crossing (also resulting in a gain of three parking spaces),

'¢Reducing traffic in Church Hill Avenue, due to the following proposed measures

* A right turn ban at Church Hill Avenue/A259 junction

* No entry to Church Hill Avenue from Little Common Road (A259)

* Church Hill Avenue to stay two-way, so that residents and cyclists may continue to use it as such,

*Improving cycling facilities in Church Hill Avenue, and

'¢Adding new facilities at bus stops

All proposals are subject to the availability of funding, and subject to the approval of the Highways Agency and the Lead Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment.