On the 22nd July last year Pathushan Sutharsan was riding along the Downs Link on a charity cycle ride. As he attempted to cross the road at the notorious crossing of the A281 just south of Rudgwick he was hit by a lorry and killed.

To mark the first anniversary of Pathu’s death, members of his family and friends gathered at the site to pay their respects.

Tributes to Pathu at the A281 crossing
Tributes to Pathu at the A281 crossing

At the inquest into Pathu’s death the Coroner noted that safety of the crossing has been a concern for many years and considers the current design too dangerous. In her report she stated that “there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken” and took the extraordinary step of calling on West Sussex County Council to take action to address this danger.

The newly-formed campaign group “Bridge the Downs Link” is calling on WSCC to reinstate a bridge across the A281 for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to make the crossing safe so no-one else has to suffer as Pathu’s family have.