This deputation is necessitated by the ongoing concerns raised by parents, staff and governors (of which I am one) in relation to the current lack of an adequate crossing to assist students of West Blatchington Primary and nursery school and what appears to be the council’s lack of knowledge in relation to the local and geographical position of the school.
Many years ago as I am indigenous to the area (that is born and bred in Brighton & Hove) I attended the school, which was then classed as being in Amberley Drive, Hove.

However, the school, although rebuilt, and still on the same site, but now is classed more appropriately as being situated Hangleton Way (Hove).

As it has been for many years Hangleton Way is a very busy thoroughfare and is subject to bus services that proceed clockwise and anti clockwise past the school at least every 7 minutes. Subsequently, a substantial crossing facility is required to enable school aged children of under 11 years to cross confidentially, thus also enhancing their road safety skills.

Various other road users who need to circumnavigate Hangleton, also use this part of Hangleton Way.. Traffic is constant past the school building, throughout the school day.

The current arrangements of a red painted intervention across the road is not acknowledged or understood by a majority of road users, is woefully inadequate and fading fast.

The electronic signs that were appointed to Amberley Drive fail to work efficiently and do not provide adequate warning that children need to cross. Additional signs and a much more importantly, a zebra crossing must be installed at the junction with Hardwick Road immediately, to prevent the risk of accidents and reduce apprehension.

The installation of a substantial, visible and easily recognisable crossing is now vital and the situation can no longer be ignored Previous suggestions to remedy the problem are no longer relevant and have quite frankly not significantly addressed the problem adequately. Nor as previously mentioned, do they appear to have adequately considered the school’s geographical position.

The school is an established mainstream school; it was opened on the very outskirts of Hove in 1954, in conjunction with the development of Hangleton as an estate.

West Blatchington also has a specialist autism unit that has a superb reputation within Brighton & Hove and is indeed so well received, that the school is now to run this independently.

With this additional responsibility in mind, it is so imperative that children of all ages and abilities that attend the school, have their road safety education enhanced, by a crossing system we can all trust.

Teaching road safety I am sure you will all agree, is of paramount importance, but the necessary tools must be in place to facilitate this.

Consequently the installation of a substantial crossing similar to a zebra crossing or at the very least a refuge style crossing, is absolutely critical to the continued well being of those who attend the school and must be immediate.

We ask the relevant councillors to sanction this prior to the conclusion of the summer term.

West Blatchington School Deputation to be presented by Tim Hodges

G Denny

Susan Tickler

Lauren Olosunde,

Hazera Chowdhury,

Stuart Everard, School Bungalow

Sally Walker

Mark D-S

Jamie Attree