Hove pensioner hit by car at 'dangerous' Goldstone Villas junction

John Hadman was heading back to his home in Clarendon Villas, Hove, after taking his recycling to the bins across the road in Eaton Villas when he was hit by a BMW on the afternoon of November 5 last year.

The 81-year-old said he looked both ways at the junction between Eaton Villas and Goldstone Villas at the mini roundabout, and around the corner, down Eaton Villas, and believed it was safe to cross.

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He said: “I always put my walking stick out as I cross the road.

“Nothing was coming so I started to cross over, when suddenly I was hit and completely knocked to the ground.

John Hadman says he has to wear a high visibility jacket whenever he crosses the road in Goldstone Villas

“The woman who was driving didn’t hit me on the corner – it was the middle of the road.

“My ribs were bruised and I still have a problem with my left leg now.

“It’s a very dangerous crossroads and this was by no means the first incident. Something needs to be done.”

John believes a pedestrian crossing should be installed at the junction to prevent further accidents, as well as “slow down” markings on all four roads.

He says he has seen cars coming “way too fast” up towards the roundabout from Blatchington Road and from the Hove Station end of Goldstone Villas.

John said: “There’s also a blind spot in Goldstone Villas as the buses stop very close to the roundabout.

“The cars don’t slow down when they approach and there’s nothing to hold them back – and drivers can’t see pedestrians.

Buses in Goldstone Villas, where John says there is a 'blind spot'

“There’s a postbox across the road and as the council moved the recycling bins from Clarendon Villas to Eaton Villas I have to cross the road a lot. There’s also the pharmacy and doctor’s surgery on the corner. It’s a busy roundabout.

“A pedestrian crossing would stop traffic acceleration from Blatchington Road on to Goldstone Villas up to the roundabout and hopefully stop any further mishaps.

“In the meantime, slow down signs should be painted on all four roads leading to the mini roundabout.

“Cars should have to physically stop on all four sides. They’re going far too fast.”

John contacted Brighton and Hove City Council about the junction last month.

The view from Eaton Villas, where John crossed the road

He said: “I’ve had various emails from people but nothing to say they are actually going to do something about it. It’s been going on since the beginning of December but there’s been no movement since.”

The pensioner recently received a letter from police to say they were closing the investigation into the incident as there was “no clear evidence of fault” on either side.

However officers submitted a form to the Highways Agency “to highlight the need for a pedestrian crossing at this busy location”.

Sussex Police said: “An 81-year-old man from Hove was in a low speed collision with a BMW car driven by a 23-year-old woman, also from Hove, in Goldstone Villas, Hove, shortly before 3pm on November 5.

"The man was treated by ambulance paramedics at the scene. Police attended, but no further action was necessary.”

John believes motorists driving dangerously fast is a bigger problem across the city “without a doubt”.

He said: “It’s motorcyclists too but mainly cars. There are very few places where vehicles have to actually stop.

"They speed down the side roads like Clarendon Villas very fast. Everyone is in such a hurry in the modern world.”

A council spokesman said: “All requests for new or improved road crossings are analysed rigorously by our highways team.

“They look at a number of factors including collision data, the width of the road, proximity of junctions and speeds of vehicles.

"Social factors such as public perception of danger in crossing a road and how it could affect key services must also be taken into consideration.

“We receive a large number of requests for them and we will consider each application carefully.”