Andrew Griffith, Arundel and South Downs MP, has shared the results of his comprehensive Road Safety Survey which asked constituents to share their experiences with antisocial or noisy driving behaviour on our South Downs roads.
The responses to the survey show a clear belief by residents of the South Downs that local authorities could still do more to stop dangerous and antisocial driving. Mr Griffith highlights the A29, A272 and A286 which are hotspots for speeding and reckless driving, particularly by motorcyclists travelling to and from the Bury Hill area. The MP has written to both West Sussex County Council and Sussex Police to share the valuable data and to request that they use this in targeting their own activities.
Recent initiatives such as Operation Crackdown and Operation Downsway were implemented to increase public reporting of unsafe driving and create more enforcement patrols. Mr Griffith sympathises with the survey respondents, stating he often receives letters from residents raising awareness to the disruption caused by noisy vehicles asking for his support for implementation of new schemes to create safer roads for both drivers and residents.
Commenting, Andrew Griffith MP said:
“Communities across the South Downs, from Rogate to Henfield are suffering from the disruptive and dangerous behaviour of antisocial motorists.”
Top of resident’s concerns was breaking speed limits followed very closely by noise. Eight out of ten of those responding to the survey were concerned by these. There were also concerns about littering, inconsiderate behaviour toward horses, pedestrians or cyclists and excessively loud music.”
The MP added:
“It is not too late to flag up concerns. The survey remains open via my website so any constituent can report their experiences at any time to feed into my discussions with the responsible authorities.”
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Notes:
- The survey asked what types of behaviours by road users cause the most concern. Respondents identified:
- Breaking speed limits – 83%
- Noise – 80%
- Dangerous driving – 54%
- Discarding litter from vehicles – 34%
- Inconsiderate to horses, pedestrians or cyclists – 34%
- Excessively loud music – 14%
In particular, the loud behaviour of motorbikes that congregate at Bury Hill and along the A29 was a common cause of disruption.
2. BImage: Heatmap created from the results of the survey which highlights the areas of greatest impact on constituents.
