Highways, Cycleways & Footpaths Joint Council Working Group
Monday 27 February 2023 at 2.00pm, in the Village Centre Conference Room
and via Teams Video Conferencing
Present:
Cllr Tony Lank (H&SC PC) Chair Cllr Julia Shorrocks (H&SC PC)
Cllr Malcolm Llewellyn (H&SC PC) Cllr Allan Brown (H&SC PC)
Cllr Bob Sampson (H&SC PC) via Teams Cllr Colin Trumble (MSDC)
Cllr Joy Dennis (WSCC) Sarah Groom (H&SC PC-Clerk to the Council)
1. Apologies for absence: Apologies for absence were received from Nick de Sousa (WSCC Highways) and Tracey McGovern (WSCC Highways). A record of thanks was noted to Richard Speller for his long and helpful service. Cllr Dennis confirmed that Richard’s replacement has been appointed and will be invited to a future meeting to meet everyone.
2. Minutes of the meeting of 24 October 2022: The minutes of the meeting of 24 October 2022 were agreed and would be signed by the Chair. Paul Jackson-Cole will be asked for his presentation slide pack on the Burgess Hill Place and Connectivity Programme.
ACTION: SG to chase Paul Jackson-Cole for his presentation slide pack on the Place and Connectivity Programme.
3. Review of Terms of Reference: The Working Group considered the need for the Parish Council to review its own internal Terms of Reference for the Group at its May Annual Council meeting to include footpaths, and the number of Parish Councillors on the working was proposed to be reduced from 5 to 3. A County and District councillor will continue to be invited. The attendance by WSCC Officers was reviewed and it was agreed that they send written updates rather than be expected to attend in person or via Teams.
ACTION: SG to draft revised Terms of Reference for Working Group at May Annual Council Meeting.
4. Community Highway Scheme (CHS): Nick de Sousa had sent through the design of the CHS items completed by WSP Design Engineers which are being progressed with delivery expected in 2023/2024. Each of the nine plans/frames were considered and the following comments were made.
N.B. Cuckfield Road: Originally it was intended to design-in passing places for vehicles travelling north but the Engineers have stated that double yellow lines (DYL) at junctions provide additional safety measures and will have the same effect for motorists.
| Plan | Comments |
| Plan 1 – “Keep Clear” sign at Fire Station | Agreed. |
| Plan 2 – Cuckfield Road – Iden Hurst Junction | Extend DYLs further into Iden Hurst and add DYLs opposite the junction. |
| Plan 3 – Cuckfield Road – Fairfield Crescent Junction | Add DYLs opposite junction. |
| Plan 4 – Cuckfield Road – Marchants Road Junction | Agreed. |
| Plan 5 – Cuckfield Road – Trinity Road Junction | Agreed. |
| Plan 6 – Brighton Road Passing Bay | Agreed. See action below. |
| Plan 7 – New Inn, High Street Loading Bay Hours Extended | Agreed. See action below. |
| Plan 8 – High Street/South Avenue New Parking Spaces | Agreed. |
| Plan 9 – Sayers Common Reeds Lane DYLs. New plan for London Road Crossing awaited. | Agreed. |
Cllr Dennis raised her concern over parking near Policeman’s Lane which restricts the width of the High Street. Cllr Shorrocks left at 3.05pm.
ACTION: SG to request MSDC Parking Enforcement to patrol Brighton Road more frequently and check why the “Keep Clear” at Pitt Lane/High Street junction was dropped.
5. Highways General Updates:
5i) Pitt Lane double yellow lines: Double yellow lines are in place and now require a corresponding Traffic Regulation Order to allow enforcement by MSDC who support this proposal. It will be added to the High Street TRO by WSCC, so the DYL’s can be enforced. SG submitted the TRO request and is awaiting any feedback.
5ii) High Street 20 mph zone: The Parish Council had been asked to consider whether the 20mph speed signs for the High Street should be extended from current positions and a plan showing suggestions was discussed. Cllr Llewellyn suggested the signs shown as south of Manor Road could be moved north to include Manor Road as it is the proposed route of the cycle way, subject to where the School’s flashing sign is located. The Parish Council will also consider moving the High Street east sign further east, to half way between Hassocks Road and Highfield Drive so it includes St George’s Lane. Public support would be required and will be sought including from the St Lawrence Primary School.
ACTION: The Parish Council will continue to explore the extension of 20mph speed sign locations in Hurstpierpoint and take a proposal to Council on 23 March 2023 “to extend the 20mph zones to include the School, to give a greater lead-in to the 20mph speed restrictions, in order to slow traffic down into the Hurstpierpoint”.
5iii) South Avenue Drainage: The area of land at the entrance to South Lodge Cottage is owned by the Parish Council but designated public highway. The owner of the Cottage agreed to submit a Section 278 Notice to WSCC for permission to build a ‘fit for purpose’ connection to the Highways drainage system which will also improve the drainage off the Recreation Ground. WSCC to monitor the application by the home owner for the cross over license if new works are undertaken.
ACTION: WSCC to monitor the cross-over license application for the entrance to the new property at South Lodge Cottage, off South Avenue. The Clerk will enquire as to his proposed time scales.
6. Cycle Routes: Cllr Dennis reported the Hassocks section of the new east/west cycleway will commence in April 2023.
6i) The Hurstpierpoint (east) section is expected to start in the Summer 2023. A positive meeting was held on site on 11 January with Tracey McGovern and the revised detailed plans arrived with WSCC on Friday, and will be circulated in due course. Discussions between Layton Fields Residents Association/Management Company and WSCC will need to take place to agree the water run-off.
6ii) The cycle route north from the Millennium Garden through Hurst Meadows will be managed by the Parish Council once the above route is finalised. The Parish Council will ask a consultant to design the route in due course to join up the east/west cycle routes set out above, north to Burgess Hill via the Triangle. Once the route leaves Hurst Meadows, the Place and Connectivity Programme will need to take the section north further forward.
7. Chalkers Lane Pavement
7i) A resident had requested a review of the Chalkers Lane pavement issue. The background to the situation was discussed and previously WSCC had decided there was no justification for a pavement, possibly because it was felt there wouldn’t be any use for one, or that it may have created an urbanising effect on the countryside.
7ii) Many parties including the Parish Council would have been supportive of a pavement but for the above reasons it was never a condition of any planning permission. It was agreed that the Highways Working Group still supported a pavement in that location and Cllr Dennis will look at this again.
ACTION: WSCC to review the request for a new pavement at Chalkers Lane.
8. Updates: A number of brief updates were given as follows:
8i) Albourne Road TRO – Residents had requested a change to the speed limits on the Albourne Road which the Parish Council had supported.
8ii) London Road Parking Restrictions – The Sayers Common Village Shop had requested parking restrictions outside the shop which the Parish Council had supported.
8iii) Speed Indicator Device (SID): The latest SID data was from Wickham Hill and showed a reduction in speeding since August 2022.
8iv) Signage to Court Bushes Community Hub: The Parish Council had installed these signs.
8v) Marchants Close Large ‘No Through Road’ T sign: The Parish Council had installed this sign.
8vi) Trinity Road Car Park Electrical Vehicle Charging Points: The Cabinet Member for Parking at MSDC, Cllr Ruth de Mierre had agreed a temporary reduction in the number of bays and these will be decommissioned in due course, with the TRO amended to say they can be gradually re-introduced as required.
8vii) Priority footpaths issues: Numerous issues had been raised with the WSCC Public Rights of Way team. Cllr Dennis will request a response. WSCC is undertaking work to hold more “riparian” householders to account for the maintenance of Public Rights of Way. Greater dialogue between the Parish Council and Public Rights of Way Team was needed for example regarding the Monday Group projects.
ACTION: WSCC to provide an update on the Public Right of Way footpath issues raised with them.
9. Date of Next Meeting: The date of the next meeting will be confirmed but will be a Monday in June from 2-3.30pm.
As this was the last meeting that Cllr Trumble would be attending, the Working Group formally thanked him for his contribution to the Working Group.