My Thoughts On: Roads

The original aim to build a major A/M27 trunk road all the way from Honiton to Folkestone will never be realised, but the Adur flyover at Shoreham and the Southwick tunnel were major improvements years ago which solved problems eastwards around Brighton. Whatever happens in the future these two constructions will have to be used as it will be too expensive to do any different.

Going around Worthing is quite another matter now compared to what it was 20 years ago, made all the more difficult by such developments as Lyons Farm etc. There are so many “pinch-points” (Sussex Pad lights, North Lancing’s Manor roundabout, Busticle Lane lights, Lyons Farm, Grove Lodge roundabout, Offington Roundabout) that dualling on its own will not solve and bridge/tunnel solutions for these would be hugely expensive, deeply unpopular and very disruptive.

The IKEA and housing proposals (I shall talk about these in another post) at New Monks Farm would take out the Sussex Pad pinch-point, but this may be a big and unpopular issue for those who live on Coombes Road and Lancing College. Original proposals to go up the valley behind Hoe Court and then tunnel under Barton's Farm in North Lancing might have helped (these were proposed in the 1970 and 80's) but the South Downs’ National Park and cost will make that barely worth contemplating.

This leaves the Steyning bypass/Long Furlong proposal which would cost less to dual but has problems at the west end, going through Clapham and Patching re-joining the current A27 route.

From the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency viewpoint this might be preferable but it has been talked about for a long time and adequate funding needs to be provided. And I don’t want to appear to go all “Not In My Back Yard” regarding the bypass essentially avoiding the constituency in the main, but the constituency options seem too problematic.

Regarding the other major thoroughfare in East Worthing and Shoreham, it’s hard to see what can be done for the A259 particularly at Shoreham. Rush hour traffic on the A283 link from A27 to A259 is a huge problem that may impact on proposed bypass solutions. Good public transport is important and should be a priority. School journeys clog up local roads at morning rush hour times so is there a case for staggering starting times for schools? Although how this would fit with teachers is also a consideration, and one that is often forgotten by politicians.

Whichever option is pursued, lack of popularity will be an issue, but there’s one thing for sure, something needs to be done and local politicians as well as representatives in Westminster need to help make it happen.