Battle Stations
The fight is on to save the
area around Binsted village from a new section of multi lane dual carriageway.
Both West Sussex County
Council and Arun District Council have agreed in meetings over the past week to
say in response to the Highways England consultation on A27 major works that 5A
is their preferred option.
As expected that decision has
been met with dismay and some anger with Mike Tristram representing the
Binstead community commenting:
“Four of the five community groups gave WSCC good
traffic, environmental and community reasons why the officers’ recommendation
to support Option 5A should be rejected. Appalling damage to Binsted
Woods, Binsted Park, the village communities using the National Park in this
area, and Tortington, were all cited”.
Dr A Whitbread. Chief
Executive of the Sussex Wildlife Trust on hearing the news said:
‘If it goes ahead this road will draw
in more traffic from elsewhere, will generate extra car journeys, increase car
dependency - more traffic, more traffic jams. To say nothing of the
ongoing destruction of irreplaceable habitat, the loss of landscape and
ecological connectivity and decimation of populations of internationally
protected species’.
So what can
be done to alert the public to what is likely to happen to this wonderful
iconic area of English countryside? Well the locals are not going to stand by
and let the bulldozers gouge out cuttings or build massive embankments through
our cultural heritage – future generations would never forgive us if we allowed
it – therefore:
On Sunday 8th
October, come participate in the big Save Binsted Demonstration, and
help highlight the event by joining our one hour walk to Binsted from Arundel.
Let Highways England know that we don’t want our precious landscape destroyed
by a big bypass!
The demonstration begins
at 1:00pm at the Flint Barn, Binsted BN18 0LL. Full details below. Bring
a green “A27 Better not Bigger” poster to show your support for Binsted and the
Arundel countryside.
The one hour walk from Arundel will
go through the South Downs National Park, past areas threatened by Arundel
bypass Options 3 and 5A, arriving in Binsted in time for the Save Binsted
Demonstration. Dogs on leads and children able to walk for an hour are welcome.
Meet at the junction of Dalloway Road – Torton Hill Road, Arundel at
11.30 am.
