Petition Calls For End To Ringmer Rat Run

A petition with over 400 signatures has been handed in to East Sussex County Council calling for action on HGVs using villages and country roads as short cuts.

The petition, signed by residents and councillors is asking for a 'lorry route network' to encourage HGVs onto A-roads and away from villages, narrow streets and residential areas.

A traffic survey by East Sussex County Council at Earwig Corner showed that during the survey week in May 2022 nearly 600 HGVs were recorded as driving through Ringmer (in both directions) during the hours of 7am – 7pm.

Green Party District Councillor & Parliamentary candidate Emily O’Brien said:

“Whilst we all support our local drivers and deliveries, evidence shows that HGV traffic is increasing, and that villages like Ringmer are being used as a rat run.

"Although the petition was inspired by Ringmer, unnecessary HGV traffic is a problem in so many villages and towns, and our petition has been signed by residents right across East Sussex. The county council has been closing its eyes to the problem and it's time we saw action.”

 Ringmer Green Party Campaigner Lucy Agace said:

“The comments on the petition are heart breaking and show how lives are being blighted with people unable to sleep at night, or afraid to venture out along narrow pavements right next to thundering HGVs. This issue is particularly affecting people with disabilities and those with small children.”

 Ringmer resident Ron Westwood said:

"We all welcome our HGV drivers doing deliveries, but we need to see an end to places like Ringmer being a rat run for HGVs which could and should use nearby A-roads. Other county councils including West Sussex have grappled with the problem and introduced lorry route networks. We need East Sussex County Council to do the same.”

The petition builds on action taken by Green Party Councillors in Autumn 2022 to ensure Lewes District Council fully considers HGV routing at the earliest stage when assessing planning applications, and the campaigners have said they will continue to do all they can to end the ‘blight’ of unnecessary HGV traffic.

The petition can be viewed here - https://bit.ly/VillageHGVs. At time of presenting it had 402 signatures. It says:

 “We call on East Sussex County Council to introduce a lorry route network similar to the one in West Sussex.

"This is a network of suitable roads which all HGVs are expected to use, except for local access.

"A lorry route network asks HGVs to take the best route, not just the shortest one, avoiding unsuitable, narrow and residential roads, and villages.”

Government  figures show nationally there has been a national increase in HGV traffic. The most recent figures, from Sept 2021 show an 8.9% increase in HGV traffic over a year, while car traffic decreased.

Some comments from the petition:

• Too many people’s lives are blighted by through traffic as it is - to have heavy goods vehicles trundle through local villages is disgusting and must be stopped. 
• Not only the weight but also the speed of the HGV's often exceeds the speed limit in the late evening and early hours of morning and even along bishops lane away from the main road the house shakes
• We need to keep our roads safe from these lorries that "thunder" through villages
• My house literally shakes when a lorry goes past.  Would be so nice to have them redirected to more appropriate routes.
• It feels so dangerous to walk up to the shops, the pavement is narrow and the lorries are big and travel very fast.
• As a regular cyclist trying to keep to B roads and whiter roads it’s important to get lorries to use a main road network
• HGV traffic through many Sussex villages is both excessive in volume and frequently excessive speeds blighting the lives of all those who live in these roads, rarely is there any consideration from those driving.
• It’s a huge problem in Ringmer there must be several hundred coming through the village everyday.
• ESCC insist that all A and B roads are suitable for all HGV traffic, this implies that other roads including country lanes are not but fail to do anything to stop use of these so it is meaningless. They also fail to address any of the contributing factors such as speed and road surfaces which increase the impact of noise, pollution and damage on residents.
• Lorries passing constantly cause noise day and night and the house to shake!
• This I agree with - there are to many lorries taking short cuts through small villages creating noise and speeding also breaking up roads that are not meant for HGV vehicles
• I totally endorse the comments made about HGVs thundering through Ringmer Village at a dangerous pace in close proximity to pedestrians. Either these need to be re-routed or traffic calming measures should be introduced 
• Lorries and alike not only make our houses rattle but they also come far too quickly. This is a lovely quiet village but the increasing volume of lorries is really causing havoc. 
• So many large lorries that literally make the house shake. Starts early in the morning. Condition of road is poor making lorries bounce and make even more noise. Volume of traffic has certainly increased. 
• Live in Firle village, we have a huge problem with tiny road access - no pedestrian footpath in some places and large HGVs
• HGVs and other large vehicles should stick to main A roads
• I live in a village where my children can't walk along the main road to school safely due to the extreme amount of HGV traffic.  Instead they are going a longer back route to avoid the buffeting and dust created not to mention the Lorries pass through Ringmer from early in the morning till late at night which is particularly annoying for those properties with limited frontage to the road.
• Too many HGV's totally ignore the weight restriction signs through Glynde
• HGV s and aggregate construction vehicles stop using our Village as a cut through. Most importantly narrow lanes where dangerous bends exist, these lanes are not designed to take heavy lorries also huge safety risk for pedestrians. Haulage companies please use A roads and not B roads, it takes no longer in fact quicker, construction companies support our village and save lives. 
• The constant rumble of traffic is detrimental to our health both physically and mentally. This problem must be addressed. 
• these lorries need to be stopped before someone gets killed
• The number of HGVs that drive through Ringmer is astounding. They often travel too fast, the pavements are not wide enough for the children walking to the schools to feel safe and they are damaging the roads. 
• We used to drive to school as I felt it was unsafe for my children to scoot or cycle or even walk along the main road. The lorries would go thundering past.