Following the decision by Chris Grayling, the
Secretary of State for Transport, to cancel the 250 million pound road
building scheme at Chichester, a big sigh of relief could be seen over Arundel and
Worthing – Lancing.
Had any of the southern
Chichester by-pass schemes published for consultation on - or the Northern by-pass one that was controversially
removed – been built, traffic all along the coast would have exploded.
To discover why you
have to study the traffic counts at the junction of the A27 and A3(M). See: http://www.dft.gov.uk/traffic-counts/cp.php?la=Hampshire
At count
point (CP) 73578 at the start of the A3(M) the vehicle count is 75207.
At CP 73582 on
the A27 (just east after the junction) it is 66365.
Recent press
comments have stated that at least 20% of A3(M) traffic would use the A27 if
the pinch points at Chichester, Arundel and Worthing Lancing were removed.
So imagine just
what would happen if another 15041 joined the 49000 already on the A27 at Chichester.
But that’s
not all. Latest government figures confirm the 3% year on year increase in UK traffic. so shouldn't that be added as well. See:
Surely it must be clear to anyone that Chichester would need, not only the removed northern by-pass
option, but also a relief road for the present southern by-pass to cope with
all that traffic.
Then of
course the worst possible multi lane dual carriageway schemes for Arundel and
Worthing – Lancing would be demanded.
Isn’t a better and cheaper way for the taxpayer and to avoid all this mayhem, to encourage more vehicle users to use other modes where possible. Then and only then, see if more road building is really needed?
Isn’t a better and cheaper way for the taxpayer and to avoid all this mayhem, to encourage more vehicle users to use other modes where possible. Then and only then, see if more road building is really needed?
