The A27 Chichester improvements is currently at consultation

The consultation runs until 22nd September 2016

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Remaining dates for public exhibitions are

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Friday 09 September

Bracklesham Barn, Beech Avenue, PO20 8NU

10am – 7pm

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Saturday 10 September

Bracklesham Barn, Beech Avenue, PO20 8NU

10am – 2pm

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Wednesday 14 September

Chichester Assembly Rooms, North Street, PO19 1LQ

10am – 8pm

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Thursday 15 September

Chichester Assembly Rooms, North Street, PO19 1LQ

10am – 8pm

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All the consultation documents, including the 5 options, can be found here

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https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a27-chichester-bypass-improvement-scheme

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It is vital that people have their say, this can be done quickly online here

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https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/H6SMXTN

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Please get involved and have your say on the future of the A27

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It is public knowledge that, as a group, we have opposed a northern bypass and, despite much publicity around calls for the reintroduction of this option, we will continue to do so.

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We have always opposed a northern route because of the impact it will have on Chichester’s future and its relationship with the downs. Such a route would forever change the character of the north of Chichester and it must be opposed. It is over budget by some way and is not within the remit of the funding allocation.

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Clearly there are many who will be impacted by some of the 5 routes that are at consultation and we fully recognise the concerns over loss of homes, access restrictions and environmental impact.

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It is no secret that we, as a group, stated our view that Option 2 appeared to provide the maximum benefits of the five options presented BUT we were very clear that this option was the starting point and that it needed further consideration and changes made.

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Our statement was an interim position statement and was simply that, a statement of our view at the time. We have not campaigned for others to support option 2, have not tried to push this view on others and have simply stated our view.

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We have subsequently written to Highways England with our official response and have set out our critical and constructive feedback on what we believe needs to be considered. This includes suggestions about retaining access at Stockbridge, reducing speed limits and limiting the length of a new link road so that it is not tantamount to a southern bypass.

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We have also written to suggest that the impact of a flyover, in particular at Fishbourne, could be seriously reduced by an underpass which would have the same effect of separating through and local traffic. (To do so is not impossible due to flood issues despite what many have been told) and reduced costs elsewhere could be used to fund this.

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We also believe that more sustainable solutions are needed and this should be integrated better in to the scheme. This is where WSCC and CDC should be working with Highways England to provide an integrated solution.

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We believe that responses to Highways England should be constructive and not dismissive. There are many that are rejecting all the options at face value rather than constructively criticising and suggesting alternative junction improvements, many in the hope that a northern bypass will be reinstated.

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For those that have not responded to the consultation we would encourage positive and constructive responses to the 5 options that are on the table, whichever option that may be. And not a dismissal of all of them.