NEWS FROM THE PARKING WORKING GROUP

HASSOCKS PARKING SCHEME Stage 2 – Approved by West Sussex

West Sussex County Local Committee gave final approval to the Stage 2 scheme on 12 November 2019. The Scheme will improve traffic flows through the creation of passing places and reduce thoughtless and inconsiderate parking in a number of heavily used and narrow roads in Hassocks. It also upgrades single yellow lines to double yellows on a number of junctions and bends with restricted visibility. Importantly the loss of parking spaces has been kept to an absolute minimum in order to avoid any significant displacement to adjacent roads.

This stage of the scheme has been community driven and strongly supported by the Parish Council and has evolved over the last 18 months through two consultations and follow up surveys in the affected roads.  Whilst the scheme has passed approval largely intact a number of restrictions ‘banning parking for 1 hour during the day’ were removed to satisfy an objection from Mid Sussex District Council who have recently identified that they have limited resources available for parking enforcement.

The revised scheme – omitting the removed restrictions from Highlands Close, North Court, Semley Road and part of Woodsland Road can be found by clicking here.

Parish Council chairman Ian Weir said “Little did I realize back in 2013 when we conducted the first village wide survey how long it would take to get to this point. It was only through the Parish Council taking the unusual step of sponsoring the second stage of the scheme that the original community led proposals have now been largely achieved. Also – I want to thank, local resident, Sally Booker who has done an amazing amount of work in support of this project and our County Councilor Kirsty Lord who has argued in support of the scheme within West Sussex.”

It is anticipated that implementation of the Stage 2 scheme will take place during 2020.

HASSOCKS PARKING SCHEME  Stage 2 – Update July 2019

The Formal consultation closed in January 2019 and West Sussex County Council Highways reviewed all the feedback and objections in preparation for approval by the County Local Committee.

One objection in particular, was received from Mid Sussex District Council who indicated that the size of the scheme would require an increased resource and that they therefore could not enforce the new regulations effectively. Therefore the scheme cannot progress until this objection is resolved or withdrawn, and West Sussex County Council and Mid Sussex District Council are currently in negotiation on the issue.

Part of the scheme was designed to improve traffic flow in a number of roads in Hassocks and any resident experiencing difficulties with access as the result of bad parking should contact Mid Sussex District Parking Customer Services Team on 01444 477212.

HASSOCKS PARKING SCHEME  Stage 2 -Dec 2018

WSCC Formal Consultation

Following the Public Exhibition in March 2018, and further road by road consultations in March and July 2018 carried out by the Parish Council, Stage 2 of the Hassocks Parking Scheme has now been passed to West Sussex Highways.  As a result of the consultation and subsequent report, West Sussex County Council (WSCC) proposes to make a permanent Traffic Regulation Order that will introduce or amend waiting various restrictions on lengths of the following roads in Hassocks:

Brook Avenue,  Chancellors Park,  Clayton Avenue,  Dale Avenue,  Downs View Road, Farm Close,  Grand Avenue,  Highlands Close,  Keymer Road,  Little Copse Road,        Lodge Lane,  Newlands Close, North Court,  Ockley Lane,  Semley Road,  Stanford Avenue, Stonepound Road,  Willowbrook Way,  Windmill Avenue and Woodsland Road.

Comments or objections on the proposed Traffic Regulation Order are now closed but full details on the Traffic Regulation Order can be found on the West Sussex County Council website by clicking here.

 

HASSOCKS PARKING CONSULTATION Stage 2 – Update July 2018

Following the Stage 2 consultation in March the responses have been reviewed and discussed with the West Sussex Parking Scheme Team. Whilst the proposals for most roads are unchanged or have only minor changes it has been necessary to consider significant changes for three roads. The Parish is re-consulting on those roads prior to submitting a final scheme to the West Sussex County Local Committee in October 2018.

The roads affected are as below.  Please click on the road name to view the proposed changes:

Dale Avenue changes

North Court

Stonepound Road

Residents in these roads will receive a hand delivered individual update sheet in early August inviting them to respond to the revised proposals.

Please respond to Hassocks Parish Council.

Email:  info@hassocks-pc.gov.uk

Post: Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Keymer Road, Hassocks BN6 8QH

The closing date for responses is Friday 17th August 2018

 

March 2018

Hassocks Parking and Traffic Consultation Stage 2

A Public Exhibition of the proposed changes will take place at

 The Parish Centre, Adastra Park

Tuesday 27th March

 12 Noon until 8pm

Stage 2 addresses outstanding issues identified in the initial Traffic and Parking Report produced in 2013, supported by feedback from residents at subsequent meetings in 2016 and the West Sussex County Council consultation for Stage 1. This 2nd Stage involves additional parking restrictions designed to improve parking availability for residents and visitors and to ease traffic flow in a number of residential roads close to the village centre. Residents in these roads will receive a separate flyer with details for their road.  Residents in these roads will receive a separate flyer with details for their road, however details of proposed changes for each road can be seen by clicking on the links below:

Chancellors Park

Clayton Avenue

Dale Avenue

Downsview Road

Newlands Close

Semley Road

Stonepound Road

Woodsland Road

March 2018
Hassocks Traffic and Parking Update

Back in 2013 Hassocks Parish Council invited residents to complete a survey to better understand the issues around parking and traffic flow in Hassocks. The final report approved by council in June 2013 made a number of recommendations which sought to improve Traffic Flow and to re-balance parking more in favour of residents and visitors to the village centre.

Since then the Parish has been engaging with WSCC to find ways of delivering these improvement against a backdrop of significant cuts in funding for Roads and Highways. A reduced scheme which included some of the recommended measures was finally put on display at the Parish Centre for public Consultation in May 2016.

Strong feedback from the community following the consultation identified that the proposed scheme did not meet expectations and a subsequent public meeting reaffirmed that many of the original parking proposals were still required. The WSCC public notices appearing around Hassocks in February 2018 relate to this first stage of the scheme and involve relatively modest changes to the existing restrictions. These will improve traffic flow in a number of roads and increase short term parking around the Keymer Road shopping area nearest to the station.

Following further consultation with residents and subsequent meetings with WSCC – we asked formally for a second stage to the scheme in October 2017. With support from our County Councillor and the offer of a financial contribution from the Parish, WSCC Highways agreed to work on a second stage to include additional restrictions around the station and in a few other places where inconsiderate parking was causing problems.

This second stage will include restrictions designed to improve parking availability for residents and will go out for initial consultation shortly to allow feedback to be considered during the final design by WSCC Highways.

It is important to emphasise that the aim of this project has always been to re-balance parking back in favour of local residents and visitors yet still recognise the need to accept commuters whose use of Hassocks Station enables the village to enjoy a better level of train service.

 

June 2016  West Sussex County Council Public Consultations will be held at: Hassocks Parish Council, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Keymer Road, Hassocks, BN6 8QH on Tuesday 21 June 3pm – 9pm and Saturday 25 June 9am – 12.30pm. West Sussex County Council wishes to hear your views on proposed traffic schemes in the village of Hassocks. The proposals have been identified and developed over the past two years or so, following a public survey and extensive consultation in the community, click here for more information .

May 2016  The Hassocks Parish Council Traffic and Parking Report has now been reviewed by West Sussex County Council and a detailed proposal for the Hassocks Traffic and Parking scheme prepared by WSCC Highway Engineers and Traffic Consultants.  The proposals will very shortly go to Public Consultation which will give all residents an opportunity to view the proposals and to offer further feedback. At this time we are awaiting final confirmation of the dates of the consultation, however it is likely that this will be during the last two weeks of June.  Please check this page for updates.

November 2015   The Parking Report is currently being reviewed by West Sussex County Council and the most recent update is that  budget has been allocated to the design of both Hassocks parking scheme and Keymer village improvements in the next financial year.  WSCC shall be reviewing the feasibility work in the new year with the intention of commissioning designs from its consultant after March 2016. 

PARKING UPDATE March 2014

Parking Update August 2013

Parking letter to Talkabout July 2013

Parking Report Final Doc – approved by Council June 2013

Parking Report Appendices

Parking letter to Talkabout May 2013

Parking letter to Talkabout March 2013

Parking letter to Talkabout December 2012

Parking Review – Residents Questionnaire final

Resident Questionnaire explanation final