Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

Chichester Area & A27 Transport Proposals

We would like your views on the proposals outlined in these scheme pages. In order to help you, we have put together a summary of the most frequently asked questions and their answers.

Q1. What difference will these changes make?

A. At present, the A27 Chichester bypass and many local roads are severely congested at peak periods. By 2025 this congestion will be intolerable and much of Chichester and the local road network will be grid locked. There is a need to act now. The Highways Agency's (HA) proposals aim to remove conflict and congestion at the bypass junctions and improve access to Chichester, the Bournes, the Manhood and the wider Bognor Regis area, enabling other local transport improvements to be implemented.

Q2. What exactly is being proposed for this section of the A27?

A. The HA proposals affect five roundabouts and one traffic signal controlled junction. Split-level junctions are proposed for Fishbourne and Bognor roundabouts. At Fishbourne it is proposed that the A27 should stay at its present level with the local road going over. At the Bognor roundabout, the local road would stay at its present level with the A27 going over. Minor improvements to increase capacity are proposed for the Portfield roundabout (junction with A27 east). Priority would be given to public transport at Stockbridge Road, Whyke Road and Oving Road with other traffic restricted to left in/out access only. The proposals also include a new link road from the Fishbourne roundabout to the A286 south of Stockbridge and the introduction of a speed restriction of 50mph between Fishbourne and Portfield.

Q3. Why don't the proposals include a new Chichester bypass?

A. Proposals for a northern bypass were examined and subsequently rejected during the Public Inquiry into the A27 Havant to Chichester proposals in the 1990s.

Any northern bypass option would be expensive and would impact significantly on the Sussex Downs (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and designated National Park - pending confirmation by the Secretary of State).

In his announcement of 9th July 2003 about the South Coast Multi Modal Study (SoCoMMS), the Secretary of State rejected on environmental grounds, proposals for upgrading the A27 at Chichester, Arundel, Worthing, Selmeston and Wilmington in the form they were presented in the SoCoMMS Report. In his letter to the Regional assembly he said:

'To take these schemes forward in the form proposed would not be consistent with our policy presumption against new or expanded transport infrastructure that adversely affect environmentally sensitive areas and sites, except where there is an overriding public interest in the development proceeding'.

In the same letter he set out the further work he wished the Highways Agency to undertake. 'The Secretary of State is therefore asking the Highways Agency to work with the Local Authorities and the Statutory Environmental Bodies to identify less damaging options (including management measures), which reduce the need for major road construction, and report back to him'.

In view of this the Secretary of States terms of reference to the Highways Agency are clear in that any proposed improvements to the A27 should not be environmentally damaging and should not require major road construction. If a northern bypass was adopted such a route would have a major effect on the landscape and on areas listed above. It would cut through a large network of minor roads and footpaths that link Chichester and the Downs and have a substantial effect on property and other interests. If a northern bypass was built it is estimated to cost upward of £130m and improvements would still be necessary to the Fishbourne, Stockbridge, Whyke and Bognor junctions on the existing A27, as they could not cope with traffic demand up till the design year of 2025. For similar reasons, a new southern bypass could not be justified.

Q4. Why are three junctions to be downgraded? Why not two-levels at all junctions?

A. None of the six junctions on the bypass cope with the present levels of traffic but improvements to the Stockbridge, Whyke and Oving junctions would make little or no impact on the traffic demands in the future. These three junctions are more residential and two of them have level crossings nearby and therefore do not provide such good access into Chichester. Also, major improvements at these junctions - routing the A27 either above or below the local roads - are not proposed, as they would have a severe adverse environmental impact and would effect properties in the area. Drainage problems would be likely too if underpasses were built and the spacing requirements between junctions to allow safe weaving distances would not be satisfactory. The proposals seek instead to eliminate the traffic conflict by preventing right turns and crossover movements.

Q5. Why are buses allowed to cross at these three junctions?

A. Currently buses have to queue with all other traffic to get into and out of Chichester and therefore do not provide an attractive alternative to travelling by car. By restricting all non-public transport vehicles to left-in left-out at these three junctions the queues should be removed, or at least significantly reduced, resulting in more reliable bus services with priority access with little or no delay from queuing.

Q6. In future, will I be forced to turn left at the A27 Stockbridge, Whyke and Oving junctions and travel longer distances?

A. An increase in journey length via these three junctions will be necessary if you wish to take the same route. However, it may be quicker in future to use one of the split-level junctions at Fishbourne and Bognor Road or the improved roundabout at Portfield, as they will provide better access to and from Chichester.

Q7. Will the proposals encourage greater use of minor junctions with the A27 such as Vinnetrow Road, Wophams Lane, Green Lane and Apuldram Lane?

A. This issue is being investigated in detail. One option would be to make road improvements to the affected junctions, or alternatively to make access less attractive (although this would limit choice of access and increase demands on other junctions).

Q8. Will the proposals result in an increase in traffic in Hunston and North Mundham?

A. The proposals include a range of measures which together aim to offer travel choices at the same time addressing the problem of increased traffic throughout the region (currently increasing by about 3% per annum). If there is more traffic around Hunston and North Mundham it is likely to flow better, with minimal delays and queues at the bypass junctions. Doing nothing would see significant queues in this area, resulting in severe delays to journeys, noise and pollution.

Q9. What transport proposals are West Sussex County Council (WSCC) promoting to complement the HA scheme?

A. The bypass proposals complement the emerging transport strategy for the wider Chichester area. A number of initiatives, studies and proposals are being developed for improving sustainable transport in the Chichester area such as Park & Ride (P&R), bus priority routes and improvements for cyclists, pedestrians and those with mobility difficulties. Together these are all part of the emerging integrated transport strategy that will be in a new Area Transport Plan for Chichester.

Q10. How many P&R sites are proposed and where will they be located?

A. Several possible P&R sites are being considered each accommodating about 500 cars. These are likely to be located beyond the A27.

Q11. How will these proposals help the congestion problems at the railway crossing gates at the Chichester Railway Station & Whyke Road?

A. The proposals identify the main direct access points to the City at Fishbourne, Bognor Road and Portfield junctions with crossing of the bypass at the other junctions restricted to buses only. This will have the effect of reducing traffic in Stockbridge Road and Whyke Road north of the bypass. As a result, congestion at the railway crossing gates should also reduce.

Q12. Why a Stockbridge Link Road (SLR)?

A. Both the HA and WSCC are promoting the SLR as one of the options for the future transport strategy for Chichester. If built it will give a significant new access to the bypass from the Manhood area and will be attractive to traffic from the Witterings and Selsey. If Wophams Lane is also improved the SLR is likely to attract more traffic from Selsey and thereby reduce traffic in Hunston and North Mundham. A SLR will also significantly reduce traffic in Stockbridge Road south of the bypass thereby enabling local environmental improvements to be considered.

Q13. Is the SLR being built to enable future housing to be built in this area?

A No. This is an independent transport led strategy that has not been influenced by any specific sites that are or may have been promoted by prospective developers. Chichester District Council (CDC), as the local planning authority, in partnership with WSCC is assessing these sites separately on merit.However, given the links between land-use and transport planning, the new link road will be taken into consideration when identifying preferred sites.

Q 14 Will the proposals deter people from travelling into Chichester to shop etc?

A The scheme aims to improve traffic flow into and out of Chichester city centre. The additional features of Park & Ride and bus priority should mean that Chichester is a more attractive option than alternative centres.

Q15 Why can't the proposals be implemented now? Why do we have to wait until 2010?

A. The time scale for implementing the proposals is dictated by statutory procedures, the availability of funding, and the views of the Regional Transport Board and others. If the Government decide to progress the strategy, the next stage in the statutory process would the preparation and publication of draft Orders and an Environmental Statement for the scheme. This may lead to a public inquiry.In the meantime, the Highways Agency and West Sussex County Council intend to progress other improvements to the transport network around Chichester. These could include low cost measures such as better road markings and improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.

Q16 Why can't traffic control signals be installed at all existing junctions?

A. Previous studies investigating the option of traffic control signals at all junctions found the benefits to be relatively limited in time span.

Q17 Would emergency vehicles still be permitted to travel straight across at Stockbridge, Whyke and Oving junctions?

Yes. All emergency vehicles would be fitted with transponders that would be recognised by the traffic signals. This would allow them to travel straight across at these three junctions.

Q18 Who are the intended users of the P&R Sites?

A. The P&R sites are primarily intended for the use of peak time commuters into the City, however, it is also hoped that they will be of beneficial use to shoppers, tourists and to provide alternative transport facilities for the school runs.

Q19 Do the proposals take into consideration additional pressures on the road network as a result of proposed future residential development in the area?

A. The proposals do take account of assumed growths in population in the area, however, these predicted growths are generally not location specific. The only exception is the predicted growth in residential development in Selsey, which has been taken into account in predicting traffic growth at those junctions that feed into the A27 from this location.