A WOMAN had to be cut from her car after a crash in a road council bosses had declared did not need safety measures less than two days earlier.

The woman was trapped in her car following a collision outside St Christopher’s Preparatory School in Westbourne Gardens, Hove, on Thursday morning.

On Tuesday evening, Brighton and Hove City Council turned down residents’ pleas for measures to save them from “full-throttle madness”.

Transport committee chairwoman Gill Mitchell said safety measures were not needed because speed checks had been carried out in a parallel street even though no studies had been carried out in Westbourne Gardens.

Conservative ward councillor Denis Cobb who brought the issue to the council’s attention said she would ask the council to change their mind following the crash.

Fifty-four residents signed a petition calling on the council to address “the alarming and terrifying speed” at which some drivers sped down the wide 20mph street.

One driver was spotted overtaking at 50 mph while on their phone as pedestrians attempted to cross the road.

In response to residents’ pleas, Cllr Mitchell told the committee meeting that during the roll-out of phase two of the 20mph programme more than two years ago, speed checks were made in many streets.

Although it was not possible to check all streets, seven days of speed checks were carried out in Rutland Gardens which was “almost identical” to Westbourne Gardens showing average speeds of 25.8 mph.

Cllr Mitchell said: “While it is higher than posted limit, it is lower than speeds that would warrant dedicated enforcement.

“Collision history for past three years has also been checked and shows no injury causing collisions.

“So with low speeds and no collisions the council can’t prioritise this road over roads with a worst record at this time.”

Former Westbourne councillor Christopher Hawtree said it was “bizarre” the council used results from the quieter Rutland Gardens in its reasoning and described the council response as “dismaying”.

Cllr Cobb said: “It is a little bit naïve to compare one road to another, you really have to look at the road in question because every road is different.

“Residents wanted traffic calming before an accident happened and now one has happened we want to make sure no more will happen.

“I think with this accident, the issue needs to be looked at again, I will follow through with that to the council, all I can do is ask.”

Police, fire and paramedics all attended the crash at 11.10am on Thursday between two cars at the junction of Westbourne Gardens and New Church Road in Hove.

A man in his 20s with back and chest pain and a woman in her 50s with neck and leg pain were treated at the scene before being taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital.