Slow Down Malthouse Lane

***UPDATE***
I need postcodes on your signatures otherwise they won't be counted. Sorry!
*******

I used to keep my horse at a livery yard on Malthouse Lane. There are a total of 27 horses that live there. Down the road is another large livery yard. I am not aware of how many horses are there, but it will be of a similar figure.

The maximum speed limit on this road is 60mph. When one first turns onto the small road from the 40mph of Jane Murray Way, they are immediately faced with a blind corner and a crossing suitable for horses, bikes and pedestrians. After the blind corner (which is where a tragic accident occurred when a young driver took the corner too fast, killing one passenger and severely injuring another whilst driving towards Jane Murray Way), there is a "public footpath" sign on the left. As we continue along the road, there are more blind bends to contend with and just about enough room to pass two cars with minimal amount of braking.

Traffic is already heavy down Malthouse Lane. There is a large office block with another one being developed alongside it, there is a college and a village further down it and also the possibility of more housing being developed in Hurst. Without thinking about the potential heavy traffic coming down the road if property developers get the go ahead with the estate they wish to build, there is already a considerable number of cars that require the use of Malthouse Lane on a daily basis. The speed at which these regular users drive down is amazing. The cars scream down the lane as if never expecting anything else to be on the road.

When I ride my horse out of the yard and along to the bridleways, I have no choice but to step out into the road. Despite only being on the road for a short amount of time, I am usually faced with some very nasty motorists who do not slow down, will not slow down despite my asking and accelerate passed myself on horse back. The other type of motorist I have experienced is the type who never expects to see anything other than motorists on the road. I am usually met with screeching breaks and an apologetic look. Thank god my horse is chilled out enough to not panic in these situations! However, some horses are not and when faced with inconsiderate motorists like the ones I have mentioned, they can not only put their rider at risk but other road users at risk too. This is not to say that these horses should not be out on the road, but with patience and time they learn it's not so bad. Just one bad experience from a dangerous motorist will set you back to day one with that horse. Even the sensible ones.

This petition is to get West Sussex County Council to reduce the maximum speed limit to perhaps 40mph, and that there is more signage warning road users of people on horse back.

Jane Murray Way is a 40mph road. It has two very spacious lanes and long sweeping turns that you can see clearly around. Malthouse Lane has no road markings, is littered with potholes, has public footpaths and bridleways crossing it, has farm traffic travelling down it, has horses and their riders on it, has students from the college walking down it and it's speed limit is 60mph.

Should we have a repeat of the accident back in 2007?