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I first contacted East Sussex County Council (ESCC) about the disappearance of some no-cycling signs somewhere around 2010. There was at the time a lot of pressure from pro-cycling groups for cycles to be allowed in the pedestrian zone and I remember very clearly that over the course of a night, some of the signs disappeared. Others were turned so that they were facing towards the shops and weren’t visible. I wrote to ESCC and let them know but nothing happened to the signs. I’d noticed the removal of the ground signs, stating no-cycling, from certain areas around town at the same time and I had asked where they had gone. I think the painted ground signs are very effective at alerting people to the cycling status of an area.
Above: A no right turn sign that was out of action for over three months due to its being painted over. Read below.
Then in 2015, I contacted them again to let them know that a sign had been painted out. A no-right turn sign where Pelham Street becomes Harold Place, behind the town centre toilets. I had pointed it out to Community Support Officers, Police Officers and Hastings Council workers and thought one of them would inform the correct authorities. Three months later and more and more cars turning right, I contacted ESCC and told them about the sign. I also reminded them about the cycling signs but they didn’t reply to me, though within 36 hours the sign had been cleared or replaced.
During my communications with Town Centre Management (24/04/2016), I was told:
‘Since my last email to you I haven’t been able to find any more information from colleagues here at the Council or at ESCC about the removal of signage in the town centre’ and that was as far as Town Centre Management could or would help.
I emailed the Labour Councillors for Castle Ward, Sue Beaney and Lee Clark but neither of them responded. I eventually got in touch with Dominic Sabetian of Braybrooke Ward but there appeared to be no constructive way to approach the issues raised. I was forwarded this email from his colleague Sue Beaney as she had raised a query with East Sussex County Council as ‘other residents of our ward who have also had this kind of problem. This neatly summarises the County Council’s position, although you might not find it very reassuring.’ (Email Communication with Councillor Sabetian). Continue reading “Hastings ‘no-cycling’ signage is not up to the job thanks to ESCC.”
