Results of Uckfield transport study

Results of a comprehensive study into transport issues in Uckfield have been published.

The East Sussex County Council study breaks down details of traffic flows, showing how much is through traffic, how much is wholly internal and how much moves in and out of the town at different times of day.

It shows the “critical junction” in town is High Street/Bell Lane “which does not work effectively in providing for all the vehicular and pedestrian demands made on it”.

It says the Tesco roundabout could work in isolation but cannot in combination with the High Street/Bell Lane junction and the same is true of Framfield Road/High Street junction.

The Church Street/High Street junction is also shown to have problems stemming from turning traffic and narrow road widths.

The study shows that through traffic from Framfield Road, east of the hospital, is not a major component of traffic in the town or on the “critical link”, High Street south of Bell Lane.

Nearly a third of High Street traffic between Bell Lane and Framfield Road is associated with town centre car parks.

All traffic between south Uckfield and nearly all town centre car parks must travel on the “critical link” and through the “critical junction”, High Street/Bell Lane.

The study also looks at bus and rail services, pedestrians and cyclists.

It concludes: “The base survey results demonstrate and confirm that town centre congestion, queuing and delays for all road users occurs to a sufficient scale and intensity as to require resolution to meet both the demands of committed and proposed development."

Solutions suggested include:

Demand management through smarter choices initiatives
New or improved town centre highway infrastructure schemes
Re-distribution of parking location and/or parking demand management
Access management to and from new and committed developments
Influencing route choice to discourage non-essential use of Uckfield Town Centre making better use of the bypass and the Bell Lane link road.

The different options are to be tested with events showing the range of proposals likely to be held in 2012.

Depending on feedback a preferred option is to be brought back to the Uckfield Town Centre Steering Group and to East Sussex County Council.

Once a scheme has been approved it will be taken through statutory processes so implementation can take place once funding is available.

* The latest study was put together using a SATURN simulation model which enabled a town-wide consideration of traffic demands and network capacities. This included the A22 bypass.

To develop the model detailed traffic surveys were undertaken in November 2010.

They included: