Road reopens after car hits home

Framfield Road, Uckfield, was partially re-opened yesterday (Wednesday).

Temporary traffic lights are being used to allow vehicles to pass scaffolding which stands in the road to prevent a house from falling down.

The cottage home was badly damaged before Christmas when a car crashed into it.

A diversion has been in place along New Place and Harcourt Road, although many cars have been 'rat-running' through Alexandra Road and Mill Place

Traffic engineers opened one lane of Framfield Road by putting in a temporary traffic light 30 metres to the Bird in Eye side of the main lights at the junction of Framfield Road with the High Street.

Engineers will monitor the effect of this solution over coming days and, should it prove successful, the route will remain open to two-way traffic controlled by the extra signal.

Extra time is being allowed to allow vehicles to pull out and negotiate the stretch of single lane road comfortably.

The county council will assess traffic behaviour at peak hours.

If it becomes necessary to close the road in order to keep the centre of town moving, the council will revert to the original situation whereby traffic has been diverted along Harcourt Road.

Structural work on the damaged property is due to be completed by the end of February.

Uckfield county councillor Paul Sparks commented: 'This measure should take some pressure of the diversion route and other short cuts.'

Last week the Express reported that businesses in Framfield Road had lost business because of the closure.