Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

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• A23 Handcross to Warninglid

Background Information

The proposals for the Handcross to Warninglid scheme are intended to improve traffic flow by widening the existing road and improve safety by bringing the road up to modern standards. In the period between 2003 and 2007 there were 112 accidents involving personal injuries, 3 of which were fatal. Pedestrian and cyclist facilities in the area are also limited and involve negotiating both carriageways.

A scheme to widen the route to dual 3 lane standard with a fourth crawler lane was considered but abandoned following a Public Inquiry in the 1990's. Further studies to minimise the environmental impacts were undertaken and a revised on-line widening scheme which reduced the environmental affects was presented for public consultation in May 2003. This solution was supported in principle by major stakeholders and local people and in May 2004, the Preferred Route based on the online widening solution was announced.

Tenders were invited in Spring 2005 and in June of that year, Carillion plc (formerly Alfred McAlpine Project Services) with designer Jacobs UK were appointed under the Agency's Early Contractor Involvement initiative to progress the scheme through planning and construction. The contract also included the design and construction of the A27 Southerham to Beddingham scheme, south east of Lewes which was completed in August 2008.

In July 2006, the Secretary of State for Transport accepted the recommendations of the South East Regional Transport Board on prioritisation of transport infrastructure projects in this area. The effect of this decision meant that funding for construction of this scheme was delayed by three years.

Draft Orders for the widening scheme were published in late 2008 and considered at a Public Inquiry before an independent Inspector in June 2009.  Following the Public Inquiry, the Secretaries of State announced in October 2009 that further traffic forecasting work on local roads would be undertaken and published as part of a consultation on the proposals to provide alternative access to Handcross Market Garden and to delete the junction at Slaugham. The consultation was held between December 2009 and the end of January 2010 and the representations received were forwarded to the Secretaries of State who announced their final decision on 15 March 2010.

The Secretaries of State announced that the draft Orders would be modified to delete Slaugham junction and to provide an alternative access to Handcross Market Garden from the improved Brighton Road. They also announced that traffic monitoring will be undertaken before, during and after construction to determine any effects on the local network as a consequence of the closure of Slaugham junction and, if necessary, traffic management and calming measures will be developed in consultation with the local community.

In May 2010 further work was deferred so that the scheme could be considered as part of the Government's comprehensive spending review. Details of scheme developments since October 2010 can be found on the main page under the Recent Developments heading.