Junction is a ‘real danger’

Resident Fiona Neilson says better signs and road markings are needed at the bottom of The Mint, where five roads meet as it is dangerous and unsafe.

The Mint is the main exit from busy Rye High Street and comes out close to Mermaid Street, The Deals, The Strand and Wish Ward.

Rye Council planning committee chairman Cllr Frank Palmer, said: “There are considerable dangers there at times. Cars coming down The Mint tend to hug the kerb and go across Wish Ward on the wrong side of the road.”

Cllr Paul Osborne said: “There are give way to traffic markings there. Drivers need to observe this and stick to the Highway Code.

“There are five roads coming onto one in that area and people should drive with caution and not be idiots.”

Cllr Bernardine Fiddimore said: “It is quite a confusing area already. I am not convinced that putting up more signage there will help.”

Cllr Shaun Rogers said: “What Rye really needs is some sort of bypass to prevent large vehicles from going through town.

“People often wander around in that area in a daydream.”

Cllr Jonathan Breeds said: “I often see cars driving the wrong way up The Mint.”

Rye Town Clerk Richard Farhall says that East Sussex County Council’s highways department had drafted a traffic calming scheme for that area in 2003 as part of the Rye Local Area Transport Strategy but the scheme had not gone ahead because it had not been considered a priority.

The council felt that generally traffic speed in that area tends to be low due to the complex nature of the junction which creates uncertainty.

The council resolved to ask the county council’s highways department to consider refreshing the road markings to make them clearer.