Following the Death of Our Son, 17‑Year‑Old Oakley Meer, on 26 June 2026

We, Lucie and David Meer, together with our community, ask Eastbourne Borough Council and East Sussex County Council (Highways) to take urgent action to make Beachy Head Road safe. We are asking for:

·         Speed‑calming measures

·         Clear road markings, clear signage, grass verges and parking laybys to be improved

·         A full safety audit of the road and surrounding junctions

·         Immediate temporary safety measures while the audit is carried out

Why We Are Asking for This

On 26 June 2026, our son Oakley Meer, just 17 years old, died as a rear seat passenger whilst wearing a seatbelt, in a collision on Beachy Head Road. Our lives changed forever that day.

Since losing Oakley, we have investigated the history of this road. What we found is frightening:

·         Police‑recorded injury collisions (STATS19) show 11 injury crashes on Beachy Head Road in the last five years (2021–2025), including 4 serious‑injury collisions, plus 2 fatalities, one of which was at Shooters Bottom, where Oakley was killed.

·         Oakley became the first fatality in 2026 at Shooters Bottom, with three other young people seriously injured in the same collision.

·         Sussex Police and East Sussex Highways have also logged at least 22 damage‑only collisions on the same stretch of road in the last five years — cars losing control on bends, skidding on the steep descent, or colliding near the viewpoints.

Police‑recorded data show at least 37 collisions in five years, demonstrating the need for enhanced safety measures to prevent future incidents. It is a road with a clear, repeated pattern of danger.

Oakley’s death highlights the urgent need to build on existing safety efforts and ensure Beachy Head Road meets today’s standards for visibility, signage, and speed management.

We are not asking for anything unreasonable. We are asking for action that should have been taken long before our son died. We are asking for changes that will save lives.

What We Want to See Happen

·         Immediate temporary safety measures

·         A published safety audit

·         A clear timeline for permanent improvements

·         Honest, open communication with us and with the community

We are doing this for Oakley, and for every other family who uses that road. We cannot change what happened to our son, but we can fight to make sure no one else loses theirs. We welcome collaboration with East Sussex Highways and Sussex Police to identify and implement the most effective solutions. We recognise the efforts already made by local authorities and police to improve safety in the area. This petition seeks to build on that progress with urgent, practical steps.