East Sussex County Council (ESCC) roadworks have arrived outside Rye’s busy medical centre and hospital on the A268 on Rye Hill after nearly a month of complaints (particularly from Rye Community Transport), but also from the hospital) and suggestions about lack of notice, poor signage, irregular start and finish times and unhelpful workmen.
The complaints were triggered by council notices announcing the work just a few days before the originally month-long, three-stage roadworks actually started – first on the Beckley side of Peasmarsh, then on the Rye side and finally on Rye Hill – though that final stage was split into two after the negative public reaction and the work will now not finish until July 3.
By the time the final stage reached the hospital on Wednesday (June 24), the complaints appeared to have had some effect as work started on time at 9:30, two workmen were on the “gate” turning back and/or advising drivers, buses were being escorted through the roadworks and access to the hospital seemed to be working smoothly. The same seemed to be true on Thursday morning.
However the works then moved half a mile south of the hospital on Thursday to the section downhill between the King’s Head and the Military Road junction and will work back up towards the hospital next week. For the time being though the roadworks are now well clear of St Michael’s church in Playden which had a funeral booked for Thursday lunchtime, of which the workmen seemed well aware, as well as a wedding booked in for Friday. The hospital was expecting the arrival of the large mobile breast screening unit with patients coming from further away than just Rye.
The massive MRI scan unit had been there previously, but most patients had been warned in the nick of time about the roadworks. Rumours that the final stage was being put back were further confused by the contractors’ markings on the road which seemed to indicate work would finish by the Military Road turning this Friday. The reality however was that the contractors were doing the Military Road end first before working back up Rye Hill towards the hospital next week before eventually finishing July 3.
Lack of time to warn patients was a major complaint though, particularly as Rye News‘ own traffic census showed around 100 vehicle movements each hour on and off the site. The County Council had been planning the roadworks since January, but the hospital and medical centre only had two days notice and a council official said they did not have time to engage with all those affected by the roadworks.
However, following complaints, the roadworks were re-organised to improve access to the hospital site, though complaints about signage seem to have been ignored. After one lane near Beckley was said to have been “trashed” after being used as a rat run around the roadworks, concerns continue about whether dangerously narrow lanes around Houghton Green and the primary school may be overwhelmed this week and next by traffic seeking to avoid lengthy diversions via Broad Oak.
This concern was supported by queues of traffic going in and out of Military Road on Thursday where, for a while, there was a police presence, but the County Council refused to do anything about signage or making traffic one way through the back lanes despite fears that there was an accident waiting to happen. The Town Council has complained to ESCC about the way the roadworks have been organised, and the lack of consultation, but the most detailed complaints have been spearheaded by Town Councillor Pat Hughes in her role as Operations Manager of Rye Community Transport.
She has made detailed comments because of her knowledge of local roads, and county officials have been forced to apologise about the contractors’ behaviour. Complaints about signage were however still being made as the last ten days of the planned roadworks were supposed to be taking place.
Photo by Ray Prewer
Image Credits: Rye News Library .