Major transport schemes planned for Sussex

That will be the future advice from West Sussex County Council for road commuters fed-up with traffic jams.

The county council has welcomed the go-ahead for two major transport schemes designed to ease congestion and pollution.

Development of a high-quality bus network along the West Sussex coast from Portsmouth to Brighton and improvements to Chichester bypass have been included in the government's programme of transport improvements for 2011-2016.

Measures being looked at include junction improvements that may involve fly-overs at two major roundabouts.

The bus network '” known as Coastal Expressway '” will include faster and more frequent services through the coastal towns of West Sussex. Features will include bus priority schemes at major junctions and traffic lights, plus electronic information for passengers.

Lt Col Tex Pemberton, West Sussex cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The aim now is to proceed with detailed design and consultation work as we would like them to start as early as possible in the 2011-2016 period... the Coastal Expressway will make the bus a real alternative to the car for commuting and leisure journeys."

He said the county council was still pressing hard for the government to approve an A27 bypass for Arundel and was making a new case for improvements between Worthing and Lancing.

"I can assure people these other badly needed trunk road improvements have not slipped off our agenda, and are being actively developed," he continued.

"If there are national schemes listed between 2011 and 2016 in other parts of the country that cannot go ahead for some reason, we will be pressing for further A27 improvements to be brought forward."

Last week, the Herald reported proposals by a county council task force for congestion-beating measures on the A27 through Worthing '” although the borough council is continuing to press for a proper bypass.

These task force "improvements" could include an extra lane on the A27 between Lyons Farm and the Grove Lodge roundabout, and fly-overs at the Offington and Grove Lodge roundabouts.

What do you think?

Do you think these proposed improvements to the A27 through Worthing/Lancing will be sufficient to make a significant difference to traffic congestion on this stretch of the trunk road?

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