A COUNCILLOR has called for urgent action over safety fears at a sports centre car park.

Peter Atkinson said the car park at Portslade Sports Centre in Chalky Road, which is the responsibility of the Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA), is often very busy at certain times of the day, with drivers parking on grass verges, ignoring double yellow lines and ignoring an internal one-way system.

Cllr Atkinson, councillor for North Portslade, raised concerns that no risk assessment or action plan was put in place following an accident at the car park late last year, where he claims a resident was knocked down by a driver going at speed while trying to claim a parking space.

He said: "It's a very odd situation in as much as the car park is the responsibility of PACA but they are, obviously, in the business of education and not running a sports centre car park.

"It's a popular sports centre and people need to factor in the time it might take to find alternative parking if the car park is full.

"The one-way road markings need to be repainted, the signage needs to be much better, the car park needs to be patrolled, and people warned about unsafe and illegal parking or we shall inevitably see another serious accident."

Mubaaruck Ibrahim, chief growth officer at Alridge Education - the trust that runs PACA, said they are "very much aware of concerns raised by the councillor following the incident last year.

He said: "The car park in question is for the use of the sports centre so we are currently in discussions with Brighton and Hove City Council as to who does have responsibility for the sports centre car park.

"At the same time, we are also looking at what further safety measures can be put in place with a view to ensuring this work is done as soon as possible."

Freedom Leisure, who run Portslade Sports Centre, was approached for comment.

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