Councillor's concerns over congestion on The Ridge

Cllr Mike Turner says the problem has worsened since the Bexhill-Hastings Link Road opened in December.

The borough councillor, who represents Baird Ward, had previously organised public meetings where residents expressed concerns to East Sussex County Council about the volume of traffic on The Ridge, which often comes to a standstill during peak periods.

During these meetings, ESCC was asked to carry out improvements to the junction with Elphinstone Road to help keep traffic flowing.

Cllr Turner said: “During morning rush hour queuing traffic on Elphinstone Road often does U-turns and comes speeding down the hill.

“Arterial roads leading to The Ridge such as Elphinstone Road, Ochiltree Road and Pilot Road have become rat runs as traffic competes for The Ridge.”

There have also been calls for a new pedestrian crossing as there is no such provision between Helenswood School and the Conquest. Cllr Turner is calling on ESCC to keep its promise to assess junction improvements and crossings once the BHLR was completed.

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “As part of the Link Road scheme, money was allocated for complementary measures to address the potential impact of increased traffic levels on The Ridge.

“We did anticipate there would be some changes to traffic patterns in the area and have already put in place some measures to address this, including improvements to the Queensway and Harrow Lane roundabouts.

“We also carried out traffic surveys before the Link Road opened and we are carrying out follow-up surveys which will provide a detailed picture of the impact of the road opening. It’s vital that we take the time to properly assess the situation and ensure that any measures we do put in place will improve traffic flow, and not hinder it.

“We are aware of Cllr Turner’s concerns and will be providing him with a detailed response in due course.”

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