Hollingdean rat run "accident waiting to happen" as mum calls for action

A notorious rat run which doubles as a walking route to four Brighton schools is being called an "accident waiting to happen".

Hundreds have signed a petition calling for a zebra crossing, a central island and reinstated speed bumps to be installed on Hollingbury Road, which is thought to be used by drivers as a cut through to busy Lewes Road.

The route serves as a walking route to four local schools.

Mum Emma, who lives on the road and started the petition, described it as a "very wide junction": "Often I see children getting halfway and then they get stuck, and cars are turning, then they have to just stand in the middle of the road in all the traffic."

That includes her son, who left her feeling "so worried" when he became "stuck in the middle of the road".

But she explains it's just as unsettling for adults: "You're looking in all different directions, it gets really chaotic. "It's scary really - getting stuck between cars, turning this way and that."

The petition has gained support from Hollingdean and Fiveways councillor Theresa Fowler, who said the crossing has been bad since she was a child: "Its actually gotten worse - as there's more cars now, and more lorries.

"It's terrible.

They come round the corner all the time, trying to avoid going down Hollingbury Road and getting stuck in the traffic. "It's just dangerous."

The petition can be signed here and is due to be discussed by councillors next month.