Brighton Marina Horizontal Catch Nets

In the early hours of Sunday, 13th April 2014 a Ford Focus left the A259 coast road which runs along Brighton Marina cliff top, and plummeted down the cliff face at Roedean, crashing into the revetment placed in front of the seawall protecting the Undercliff Walk promenade.

The 33-year-old driver survived the 24m fall suffering only minor injuries and was able to get out of the car and made his way to the rocks where he was rescued. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-27009338

The Metro, page 5, 14th April 2014

During the fall, the car hit and damaged a section of one of the sub-horizontal catch nets, installed along the lower third of the cliff.

This structure is part of a scheme (including mesh, bolts, soil nails, shingle beds, vertical and sub horizontal catch nets) designed by Rendel a decade ago to protect the users of the Undercliff Walk from falls of fragment of chalk and flints.

The catch net, designed to absorb energy by deforming, undoubtedly saved the driver’s life by substantially reducing the impact with the ground.

Rendel has been appointed by Brighton and Hove City Council to assess the extent of the damage suffered by the catch net and to propose remedial measures for its rehabilitation.

Car recovered from site

The damaged catch net still holding the front bumper of the car