Dear Sir / Madam
This appears in the local paper
Your letter reference above dated 13 January 2017 regarding Polegate By Pass Resurfacing
Whilst as a user of this road and nearby resident I appreciate that maintenance needs to be carried out to maintain the by pass, the full closure of either one direction or the other for almost three weeks will put intolerable strain on the local villages, particularly Pevensey.
That a weight limit through Pevensey Village has not been installed by East Sussex County Council remains a constant disappointment and thus your suggested diversion route will prove to be, as usual, when Polegate by Pass is treated, advisory only.
History shows, that without the weight limit to protect the school access and fabric of the remains of Pevensey Castle, enormous industrial delivery vehicles, Jempson’s curtain siders and low loaders bearing new saloons will thunder through the village completely ignoring the tachograph lengthening route that you plan to sign.
The village really does deserve the respect that, at least, a temporary weight restriction, would offer. The school half term planned during your works barely mitigates the negative impact of these vehicles.
Are there any plans to put in a weight restriction in Pevensey and Pevensey Bay?
Mandy Cracknell
From: Traffic Safety
Sent: 10 April 2017
To: mandy cracknell
Subject: Request for weight restriction – Pevensey and Pevensey Bay
Our Ref: T/Pevensey/VCB/4030
Dear Ms Cracknell
Request for weight restriction – Pevensey and Pevensey Bay
I refer to your enquiry of 16 March regarding the above which has been passed to me for a response.
The issue of whether a weight restriction could be introduced through Pevensey and Pevensey Bay has been raised on many occasions in the past but in line with the County Councils policy relating to the control of heavy goods vehicles, we are unable to consider a weight restriction on this road at the present time.
We have to remain realistic to the fact that goods and services have to be transported around the country, and as the majority of our roads have an element of unsuitability for use by large vehicles, it is our deliberate policy to allow them to disperse over the whole available network rather than to concentrate them on selected roads which may not be any more suitable for use by these vehicles.
The policy does not allow for weight restrictions to be imposed on A or B class roads and therefore as the road through Pevensey is classed as the A259 it could not be considered for such a prohibition. On those roads which have a C or unclassified status, prohibitions would only be considered if the road was physically and environmentally unsuitable for use by larger vehicles, a suitable alternative route existed and there was an injury crash record involving heavy goods vehicles.
I am sorry that I am unable to provide a more positive response but I hope the above information will be of interest and assistance to you.
Yours sincerely
Victoria Bartholomew
Senior Traffic & Safety Officer
Road Safety Team
Communities, Economy & Transport
