The group came into being after a fatal road crash at the junction of the A267 with Mayfield Flat when a northbound sewerage tanker was in collision with a private car heading south. The tanker overturned and of the four in the other vehicle, one died at the scene while the others suffered life-changing injuries.
As a result, local resident and PR consultant, Sarah Jones joined forces with Sussex Express community correspondent Melvyn Butcher and reporter Susan King to set up a group that aims to improve safety standards on the road.
The group's first action was to set up the A267 Road Safety Group Facebook page which now numbers almost 700 members. It was also to focus attention on the stretch of the highway from Mayfield to Horam.
The second was to communicate with the four parish councils which represented stretches of the route; Mayfield and Five Ashes, Hadlow Down, Heathfield and Waldron and Horam. The areas of most concern include Wellbrook Hill (Mayfield;) the A272/A267 junction; Isenhurst petrol station (scene of another fatality two years ago) and Little London.
The group asked for and were allowed to address all four parishes at separate meetings. They took away more information than they could impart, for example details of the astonishing amount of work that councils had already undertaken to keep safety on the agenda. They also heard about efforts of police to reinforce safety on a busy road which is now a prime route from Tunbridge Wells in the north to Eastbourne in the south.
They also communicated with local deer warden Julian Butcher who provided startling statistical information about deer strikes which indicates these are more frequent in the High Weald than almost anywhere else in the UK, apart from parts of the New Forest and the Scottish lowlands. He noted this is because roads are seldom fenced and woodland is dense.
The group was contacted by Sussex Weald MP Nusrat Ghani (now deputy speaker to the House of Commons.) Nusrat gave up her valuable time to visit the A272/A267 junction together with County, District and parish councillors as well as senior police officers.
David Collumbell and Brighter Crowborough volunteers have independently visited every road sign between Mayfield and Horam, extending further south to the Boship roundabout, using pure rainwater to clean, buff paintwork and remove foliage where visibility was compromised.
East Sussex County Council has initiated a £500,000 'consultation exercise,' earmarking specific sections of the highway and recommending improvements. This shows the initiative to improve the route has widened to the extent that figures are now being discussed, alongside options for speed reductions and improved signage. The consultation exercise will take nine months and work, if approved,will take place in 2026.
A coach company is providing a 'guided tour' of the route for opinion formers to see the potential danger zones for themselves. The group is in the process of mapping the road to assess existing speed limitations and assess whether these could be better placed. Sarah said: "Always on our minds are budgetary restrictions imposed on highway authorities. We know much work has already been done and petitions for improvements ignored. It is a waste of our time, and yours, to demand unachievable outcomes."
Advice has been sought from a senior highways planner (under contract to several local authorities) to find out what works, what doesn't work and what has been proved to be a waste of time.
He described how councils operate cost-benefit analyses, noting that a single road fatality costs the community in the region of £2m in police time, health costs, coroner's costs, court costs, family support networking, subsequent repairs and insurances. The group will also assist local Speedwatch teams and endeavour to recruit more Speedwatch personnel early in 2025.
Melvyn Butcher said: "If we can save just one life it will be worthwhile."