LETTER: Demand more road crossings

The applicant claims that North of Horsham will have ‘seamless integration’ with Horsham, yet the seam is the A264, more a chasm than a seam. Indeed the A264 bypass was built as the northern barrier to Horsham and is fulfilling its original purpose very effectively.

So how do the proposals match the applicant’s seamless claim?

Well, there is one crossing alongside the railway, a second pedestrian crossing of the A264 close by (both already there), one long narrow bridge over the Rusper Road roundabout and finally one new signalised crossing on the new, vast, roundabout at Langhurstwood Road.

The current proposals are not enough to breach this road barrier and allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road safely and where they want to.

There are houses on both sides of the road, yet without more crossings they effectively will be miles apart, so it is no wonder everyone will have to use the car to cross the road.

Our councillors need to stand up to the developer and to West Sussex County and demand more crossings of the A264.

There are good opportunities to introduce additional crossings at Northlands Road to Old Holbrook, along or under the 1.2km stretch which has no crossing point, then a good opportunity to introduce a crossing as part of the new eastern site access junction.

At a stroke the number of crossings could be doubled, after all the developer is taking £174m profit from the development, but it needs councillors to make that stand.

Underbridges should be considered. Not small subways but with wide openings, for cyclists and pedestrians alike to enable convenient connections between north Horsham and the new development.

If there is enough money to rebuild the road, then there is enough for a few extra crossings.

Councillors, it’s over to you to make your voices heard.

This is the only opportunity you will have to improve the crossings; once the plan is passed then that is it, they are there for good. Don’t let Horsham down by accepting an inadequate solution.

Philip Ayerst

Comptons Lane, Horsham

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