Villages on the Move - Climate Hub Event, May 2024

Write up of Active Travel meeting Climate Hub meeting – May 2024

Speakers

• Roddy Crockett, Sustrans – What’s your vision, how to bring the community and Councils together and along with you in the design and implementation of projects. A community with more walking and cycling is more pleasant and shops benefit. Can you engage shopkeepers?

• Duncan Codd, Civil Engineer and campaigner from Hurstpierpoint – Designing practical solutions in our three villages. What should we focus on? Examples of good practice.

• Ian Myhill, Head of Active Travel, West Sussex District Council – West Sussex DC is starting from a low base on Active Travel, and money is tight. But there is momentum and commitment. Open to working with communities. Focus on age range 5-11 and School Streets.

• Kirsty Lord, District Councillor, Hassocks and Burgess Hill South – As above, focusing especially on walking. What things we can do together – increase the number of dropped kerbs, create a map of dropped kerbs. This is not about cars vs bikes vs walking vs wheeling. Work together.

• Ian Weir, Hassocks Parish Council – Plans in place to build two walking/cycleways: One from Hassocks station to Burgess Hill; one from Ockley Park to Woodsland Road.

Possible next steps

Community Deliberation – to generate ideas and buy-in. Following that, present top ideas to West Sussex and East Sussex District Councils, with relevant Parish Councils also involved. Go with the grain – how can we work together and add value to their priorities?

Discussion/written comments

• Lower speeds & improve walking & cycling facilities

• Active travel between villages – footpaths and cycle routes, esp. Clayton, Keymer straight – (x 8)

• 20 mph speed limit across Ditchling, Hassocks and Hurst; slow traffic, Keymer straight (x 5)

• Zebra crossings on High Streets, London Road (2)

• Cycle parking on all High Streets (x 2). Well built/secure hoops.

• Widen road and add cycle on A 273 and Clayton Hill – link to A23 Cycle path

• Public consultation on 20 mph limit and School Streets

• Increase public transport

• Remove off street parking

• Traffic-free days on the model of “Light up Hassocks”.

• Lower traffic on Dale Avenue/High Street

• Fix potholes

• Too many acronyms and too many stakeholders