Offham, north of Lewes, has recently seen an unusually high number of traffic accidents with through traffic all too often failing to keep to the 30mph speed limit.
In the past three weeks alone, a van has driven into the Blacksmiths Arms taking out the veranda, smashing the front windows, eventually coming to a halt over the front door at a time when the pub was turning out. Two weeks later a female motorcyclist was hit by a van on the bend and airlifted to hospital. Since then there have been two more incidents that police had to attend.
The past year has seen many more accidents including a car that lost control on the bends and crossed the carriage way, hitting a parked car with such force it was crushed into the wall and written off. Villagers have countless stories of cars driving into their gardens, one resident has seen this happen six times, the residents of cottage close to the pub has had to reinforce their front wall with steel to stop cars hitting their home, another resident held a young male motorcyclist who crashed late one night so he didn’t have to die alone.
East Sussex County Council has the second worst Road Safety record nationally and tops the South East region when it comes to the number of Killed or Seriously Injured.
Councillor, Joa Saunders, one of the District Councillors for the area called on the County Council to introduce much better speed management at the site and along the A275.
“Drivers approaching Offham need to be slowed down earlier and warned that the bends are dangerous. The confusion caused by the constant change in the speed limit is dangerously confusing to drivers”
Sensible speed management could include removal of the short stretch of national speed limits just before it drops to 40 and then 30mph in short order. The speed limits at Nevill, Offham, and Cooksbridge are different to Chailey. This lack of consistency puts peoples lives at risk.”
Councillor Johnny Denis, the leader of the Green Group at East Sussex County Council agrees,
“The Council is cavalier when it comes to Road Safety. Only Blackpool has a higher number of people who are killed and seriously injured on their roads. Time and time again we raise the issue of having lower speeds in our villages but it falls on deaf ears. Let’s see if this spate of crashes moves the council to action!”
Green Councillor, Joa Saunders, Landlord, Fitzroy Benjamin, and Councillor Lucy Agace outside the Blacksmiths Arms after van crashes in to and gets lodged in pub front.