Updated. 25.07.2017

A27 Worthing and Lancing improvement scheme questionnaire sample answers.

 

The 'Option' given us to approve or otherwise is a big decision that could have a major effect on the town. Therefore it's very important as many as possible return the questionnaire. With that in mind we thought it might be helpful to run through what you could say on the form.

You can complete the questionnaire on-line or the paper version obtained from one of the exhibitions or a local library. If there isn't enough space on the paper form to complete an answer, continue on a sheet of paper indicating the question number etc. Full details here: https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.com/he/a27-worthing-and-lancing-improvement/

Note. The documentation comes in two parts, the questionnaire is the thin A4 one while the description of the Option it self is the thicker.

Also Note. The numbering we have used is from the PAPER questionnaire. If you are using the on-line version it has the same questions but the numbering is different.

The first thing to do is to enter your details. Please do this correctly as any errors (i.e. name not linked to address or to post code) will be picked up by software, making your reply invalid and all your time wasted.

From now on all the answers and comments are what we intend to put on our form so please answer in your own way if you can.

At 1 the tick box has 10 questions. Our answers were top to bottom: Slightly concerned. Slightly concerned. Very concerned. Very concerned. Very concerned. Very concerned. Very concerned. Very concerned. Slightly concerned. Not concerned.

At 2 we wrote. From the traffic data you have provided in your Traffic Forecast Report and on the Department for Transport website, it is clear medium to long distance traffic is the biggest problem. All such traffic should be removed from a road that passes through the middle of a densely populated community such as Worthing - Lancing.

At 3. Pollution. Exhaust and Noise.  Particulate matter contained in vehicle exhaust together with the tyre, brake and clutch dust fine particles are responsible for nearly 4000 premature deaths in the UK annually. Although Air Quality monitoring is patchy along the A27 a very serious problem has been flagged up. Should the proposed option progress, and the desire for vehicle numbers and speeds to be increased, the pollution problem will become even more serious.

Noise Pollution. We are in the process of making a video covering a 24x7 period of what our group of residents have to put up with. e.g. Lorries containing empty containers crashing and banging day and night as they hit bumps and sunken inspection covers along the road. Not only is sleep lost, but the stress caused affects work and health. Please contact us for a copy of the video if needed.

At 4. Local.

At 5. Top to Bottom. Once a fortnight.  Once a fortnight. 3-4 days/week. Once a fortnight. Several times a year.

At 6. Disagree.

At 7. Strongly Disagree. Strongly Disagree. Strongly Disagree. Strongly Disagree. Strongly Disagree.

At 8. Top to Bottom:

(1). By the very fact this is a very dangerous junction it deters rat running Bost Hill and Salvington Hill from the A24. This Rat Running is a serious problem for residents of High Salvington.

(2). Signals here may reduce peak time queuing A24 southbound traffic if phased correctly and were reliable. However any gain would be at the  expense of introducing an alien urban feel so close to a place of rest.

(3). Whilst the capacity of the junction would be increased by the extra lanes, traffic held there would still have to filter down to the original capacity onward journey. the extra capacity would be at the expense of land take that seems to affect the century's old protected Midsummer Tree.

(4). a) How are HGV's going to get to the Industrial estates off Dominion road etc. Surely not via the residential roads of Moreland Ave etc

      b) Assuming money can be found for an intelligent signal system that worked, traffic throughput could be improved.

(5). Horrible mess that snatches hard fought for National Park land and worse it could open all that land for development. Doubt if any journey time gains would result.

(6). Only of benefit to long distance traffic.  Local traffic and residents' would suffer because on the south side of the A27 between the east of Mash Barn lane and Busticle lane there are about 100 properties, who at present, when wishing to travel on the eastbound carriageway would either join it at the Manor round about (RBT) or Busticle lane signals.

Should the proposed scheme progress, and the Manor RBT removed, a large number of these residents, visitors to businesses and eastbound Grinstead lane drivers would have make a long a confusing trip via the new Busticle junction, Halewick lane, Meadowview road, Upper Boundstone lane, Manor Road, and the new junction constructed on land within Manor Park to join the A27.

For the residents on the north side of the A27 wishing to travel westbound the reverse journey is needed – or even the Shoreham cloverleaf junction for Hoe Court and those west of the Manor park. Of course due to the diversion being mainly a residential area with a weight restriction, HGV’s would need to make their way via the A259 to join the desired A27 carriageway at the Shoreham cloverleaf junction. If all that wasn't bad enough residents' on both side of the road would suffer increased traffic speed resulting in excessive exhaust and noise pollution. How on earth were you able to get this so badly wrong?

(7 Box not numbered) The scheme proposed is a complete failure - isn't it?

At 9. Strongly disagree.

At 10. We strongly DON'T support the proposed Option as this A27 corridor passes through the middle of a densely populated residential community with many junctions and private driveway onto it, resulting in serious severance. Furthermore with a long section of the single carriageway already over capacity at peak times and with the community united against a multilane option, an out of town solution should be sought if only a road option is current policy. Worthing deserves to be treated better. We will not allow any more traffic to blight our lives. Don't push as into taking direct action.

At 11. If you mean the scheme objectives as stated on page 3 of the 'improvements' document, then the present line of the road can't meet the scheme objectives. If a road based scheme is the only think that can be thought of then it has to be a road north of the downs that will give the resilience needed.

At 12. Although forgotten in the 'Option'. Cote street junction is a direct route to the National Park used by visitors from afar who arrive by train at Goring-by-Sea station. From there they walk ancient tracks used since pre-history, but now severed by development and the A27. Whilst developers and planners care little for our cultural history one would hope a great department of State would. Please see if an access improvement across the A27 to the SDNP can be made here to reduce severance.

As for the other junctions I suppose you have done the best you can for the money available.

At 13. We would like you to know that we do not attach any blame to you or your consultants'. The failure of the 'Option' can be put firmly down to policy makers who have refused to learn from history. It has been shown over and over again if you build a whacking great multilane highway, that attracts even more new traffic, and then expect it to funnel down to a single carriageway through a town without grief, those policy makers are bonkers.

All that our members want, is this trouble some road tamed by removing long and medium distance traffic, combined with a strictly enforced 30mph speed limit. Hopefully then we will be able to breathe safely and also get a good nights sleep.

END.

Well there you are folks hope you found it useful. The rest you can easily do so please send by post or e-mail to the address given. Please find the time to do it soon as your views are very important and will definitely count.