Peacehaven residents demand action on potholes!
Following the Government’s announcement that it is making available an extra £140 million to local councils to help repair the nation’s highways – Nancy Platts, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Kemptown and Peacehaven says the people of East Peacehaven are determined that some of this money must come their way.
Nancy says: “You could plant a tree in some of the pot holes in East Peacehaven! However, this fact is of no comfort to local residents, who are in despair about the state of their roads”.
She continues: “It has become a real challenge to drive or cycle in the area without damaging people or vehicles. So, East Peacehaven residents have mounted a campaign, called ‘The Big Fill’, to highlight their grievances”.
Local resident Peggy Madej, says: “No one cares about us around here.”
Nancys says that local residents claim that the state of the roads makes the whole area look run down, and contributes to a sense of hopelessness in the community – particularly since so many people in this deprived area of East Sussex are struggling to make ends meet.
A cyclist who lives on Downland Avenue complained: “I used to ride a bicycle, but it’s a no-go area for bikes now – one would be pitched straight off, seriously injured or killed.”
Nancy, said: “I have been meeting lots of residents in East Peacehaven and the hot issue on the doorstep is the state of the roads. Virtually every family complains about it. Of course, the roads come under the jurisdiction of East Sussex County Council, and East Peacehaven is represented on by two UKIP councillors. Dozens of people have complained to me that these councillors have done absolutely nothing about the pot holes.”
“It is worth noting that parts of Hastings, also within the East Sussex County Council borders, have similar problems to those of East Peacehaven, which include a comparable number of pot holes on their streets. However, their Labour councillor, John Hodges, has been extremely active on their behalf.”
Cllr Hodges said: “Since May of last year, I have seen over 7,000 pot holes fixed in Hastings, with 1,300 being repaired already in 2014. Every one of these has been as a result of an email from myself or my fellow Labour councillors, and in some instances via a member of the public.”
Nancy concluded saying that through their campaign The Big Fill, the residents of East Peacehaven plan to follow the example of Hastings and demand East Sussex Council deal with their local roads – which, many say, have not been properly repaired for a decade.
Nancy says that in the absence of any support from their local UKIP and Tory councillors, local residents are delighted that she and the Meridian Labour group are spearheading their fight for proper attention to the Peacehaven pot holes.
To view a video of Peacehaven’s pot holes, CLICK HERE:
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