Brighton And Hove Campaigners Start Petition To Improve Preston Village

A group of villagers have started a campaign to improve the A23 which divides their community.

Renew Preston Village has set up a petition calling for safer crossings, rain gardens and more protected space for people living and working in the area.

More than 1,300 people have signed the petition – Improve the A23 through Preston Village for the local community, environment and economy – on Change.org.

The total exceeds the 1,250 signatures required to trigger a debate at a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council.

Residents Greg Fittock and Mark Campbell started the campaign last November saying that, even though there were signs for Preston Village, neither of them found an area that they felt was village-like.

They were joined by Iliana Koutsou who was concerned about the noise and the barrier created by the A23 which is six lanes wide through the heart of Preston Village.

But Preston was once a separate settlement from Brighton and dates from before the Domesday Book.

As Brighton sprawled, Preston was absorbed 100 years ago.

Mr Campbell said:

“It’s quite a common feeling that people see the signs and wonder where is Preston Village.

“People understand where Fiveways is or the Seven Dials or Preston Circus. All of these places have an identity but Preston Village has signs but no identity.”

Mrs Koutsou said that the campaign had had a positive response from people in the area because they understood the feeling of not wanting to walk through the village centre.

She said:

“When I used to have my daughter at nursery, I would cross the road and go down the back streets as opposed to going through what is a very busy noisy village, it could be argued.

“That hostility speaks to people, and the positivity of the campaign means people want to sign up.”

She would like to see rain gardens along Preston Road to both beautify the area and soak up floodwater.

Mr Fittock said that the village was a beautiful place with historic buildings which are not seen because of the volume of traffic.

He said that the Woof pub, formerly the Preston Brewery Tap, on the corner of South Road and Preston Road closed in April.

He said that this was linked to people’s unwillingness to linger and enjoy the picturesque parts of the village.

Mr Fittock said:

“We want the council to restore the centre of the village for pedestrians and for a place for the community to gather and to improve the environment so people can enjoy where they live.

“There are also the flooding issues. There are multiple examples of that affecting the local economy.

"The Woof, before it opened, had a flooding incident and that has affected its closure now.”

Other people in the community are getting involved with the project including those with expertise in traffic management.

The campaign is supported by St John’s and St Mary’s churches, St Bernadette’s school PTA, several businesses in the area and the three Preston Park ward councillors.

Green councillor Kerry Pickett said:

“We fully support the local community’s call for a safer, greener Preston village.

“Green councillors of Preston Park ward are proud to back the aims of the Renew Preston Village campaign – to improve this great neighbourhood, making the streets safer for all users and taking practical steps to combat flooding for residents and local businesses.”

Labour councillor Trevor Muten, Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet member for transport, parking and the public realm, has agreed to meet the group and said that he was happy to hear their concerns and ideas.

Councillor Muten said:

“The A23 is an important route in and out of the city but it’s vital we balance the need for travel with making our city a pleasant place to live for our residents.

“We’re already making improvements to the infrastructure alongside Preston Park up to South Road as part of an active travel scheme which includes a new cycle lane, crossings and bus stops.

“This will be finished in the summer and will encourage more people to travel through the Preston Village area on foot or by bike and bus.

“But we don’t want to stop there. The A23 is one of the priority areas on our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and we’re determined to make further improvements as and when funding becomes available to make this key corridor pleasant for everyone.

“I very much welcome the invite from local residents to meet, listen and to co-design improvements that work well for the community and the city as a whole.”

The petition to Improve the A23 through Preston Village for the local community, environment and economy is still open on the Change.org website.