Burgh Hill in Hurst Green is a narrow, residential street in Hurst Green where speeding traffic creates a real and persistent safety problem as the majority of the road has no pavement. It is a classic example of a residential street in East Sussex, where the national speed limit makes no sense.
Reform UK will deliver a properly funded, evidence-based 20 mph scheme that combines law, engineering, enforcement and evaluation. This will protect residents, make Burgh Hill safer for walking and cycling, and prove that targeted local action works where vague promises and underfunding do not.
This policy position explains why 20 mph is needed, and if Reform UK were in charge, how it would be delivered, and how it will be enforced and monitored so local people get real results.
Why a 20 mph limit on Burgh Hill is the right choice
Narrow rural roads with driveways, pedestrians and children are inherently unsuitable for high speeds. Evidence from UK and international studies shows that lower limits reduce casualties and improve public health and quality of life.
Reform UK will use an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (or a permanent Traffic Regulation Order if deemed more expedient) to quickly introduce a 20 mph limit quickly and lawfully, following Department for Transport guidance on setting local speed limits. Formal legal status avoids the ambiguity where an unsigned road is treated as the national speed limit by default.
We will combine the limit with targeted engineering measures. Where it makes sense, we will introduce low-cost physical calming such as priority narrowings, because research shows 20 mph zones with physical measures are more effective than signage alone. Engineering will be designed to suit Burgh Hill’s narrow cross section and preserve access for emergency vehicles.
Fund the work properly and stop the underfunding cycle
Reform UK will ring-fence funding for local safety schemes in places like Hurst Green so 20 mph interventions are not sacrificed to wider maintenance shortfalls. Underfunding often results in councils applying national speed limits to roads where lower speeds make more sense. Our plan prioritises local safety spending so schemes get delivered, not shelved.
Why this policy is different from other parties’ approaches
Many parties treat road safety on narrow village and town streets as a low priority, and rely on national speed limit signage or minimal maintenance. Reform UK will prioritise streets where residents face daily danger from speeding traffic and will invest in solutions that work, rather than sticking a sign up and calling it a day. Our focus is on delivering measurable reductions in speed and harm, funded and implemented at local level.
Practical delivery steps and timeline
Reform UK believes this is a clear case for a permanent 20 mph limit supported by targeted engineering, enforcement, and a proper maintenance plan.
Immediate public consultation with Burgh Hill residents, initial speed data collection and an ETRO proposal.
Followed by the implementation of physical low-cost engineering measures and, if required, progress to a permanent TRO.
Ongoing maintenance funding would be ring-fenced so the street surface and calming measures remain effective and do not degrade into a repeat of “cheap, skimmed” maintenance that undermines safety.