Bypass could cut out Storrington rat run

Plans to improve the A27 as part of a bid to alleviate traffic flow through Storrington have been revealed by the government.
JPCT 180913 MP Stephen Hammond, right visits Storrington, with Nick Herbert. Photo by Derek Martin ENGPPP00320130918150351JPCT 180913 MP Stephen Hammond, right visits Storrington, with Nick Herbert. Photo by Derek Martin ENGPPP00320130918150351
JPCT 180913 MP Stephen Hammond, right visits Storrington, with Nick Herbert. Photo by Derek Martin ENGPPP00320130918150351

The Highways Agency and Department for Transport has released its ‘A27 Corridor
Feasibility Study Scope Document’ to try and ‘tackle some of the most notorious and long-standing road hot spots in the country’ like the A27 Corridor, which includes Arundel and Worthing.

Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert strongly backs the implementation of an Arundel bypass, which residents hope will ease the rate of drivers cutting through Storrington High Street, and cut carbon emission levels in the area.

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He is leading moves to set up a formal campaign to press for improvements to the A27 and on Monday (April 28), he chaired a key steering group at County Hall to discuss how to take a campaign forward.

Following the meeting at County Hall, Mr Herbert said: “This document shows that the government’s study of options for the A27 is going ahead and that it will include an Arundel bypass.

“It is further evidence that we have an important window of opportunity over the next few months to make the case for the A27 upgrade which West Sussex needs. That is why the campaign which we are planning is vital.”

The report indicates it will be looking to ‘fund’ and ‘identify’ solutions through feasibility studies. In relation to Arundel and Worthing, the report states: “These sections of the corridor in particular experience considerable peak hour congestion and suffer from having a number of local access points which mean that they attract considerable peak local access movements which reduce the strategic road function.”

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In September 2013, Transport Minister Stephen Hammond, along with Mr Herbert and county councillor Philip Circus, visited Storrington High Street to speak with shop owners and assess the traffic flow issue in person.

In response to the South Coast Multi Modal Study (SoCoMMS), the report states that the Secretary of State did not initially support the idea of an Arundel bypass based on the study, which concluded that there was ‘little justification for a long distance strategic south coast route’.

Since, further studies of ‘on-line improvements’ have been undertaken by the Highways Agency at Arundel.

Now made a priority, the report states that the aim of the new study is to ‘identify the opportunities and understand the case for future investment solutions on the A27 corridor, particularly at Arundel and Worthing, which are deliverable, affordable and offer value for money.’