Tag: Transport

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A27 Arundel Bypass – still time to have your say!  

Back in August we alerted Society members and the public of the Highways England announcement of a further consultation on yet more alternative routes for the Arundel bypass. This consultation is still open until 24 October 2019. Click HERE to see the updated consultation document and a link to give your views.

A number of campaigning groups have got together to support an ‘alternative’ route proposal to Highways England’s options. This has been published by the South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment (SCATE). Click HERE to see their proposal. Here you can also follow a link to support the Alternative Route.

At it’s meeting on 1st October the South Downs National Park Authority accepted the officers recommendation and turned down all 6 route options put forward by Highways England. As the recommendation to SDNPA members said about the rejection of the 6 routes This is a ‘holding objection’ pending the likely formal statutory planning consultation which is due to follow.

The Friends of the South Downs Policy Officer, Vic Ient, attended the National Park Authority meeting on the 1st October and  said to the members:

“Please consider the Alternative Route the South Coast Alliance for Transport and Environment (SCATE) have proposed. Please put forward proposals [to the Secretary of State] to dramatically improving air quality along the whole route of the A27 near the National Park, the provision of sustainable transport and an action plan to reducing carbon emissions from vehicles”.

Click HERE for the National Park short video of the address to the members.

 

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A27 Arundel Bypass further consultation: Have your say!

In preparation for a busy autumn season in planning and highways the Friends of the South Downs and the Campaign for National Parks

R to L: Emma Tristram of MAVES, Ruth Bradshaw of the Campaign for National Parks, David Johnson of CPRE Sussex and Vic Ient, Policy Officer of the Friends of the South Downs during their visit to Binstead Wood.

undertook a review of critical planning & highways issues in the South Downs National Park. This included a visit to the possible routes for the proposed Highways England A27 by-pass. Click here for our report on this visit. The promised further consultation has now been announced:

Highways England are holding a further public consultation about the A27 Arundel Bypass scheme between Friday 30 August and Thursday 24 October 2019.  The consultation will open with a special exhibition preview on Friday 30 August at the Cathedral Centre in Arundel showing the proposals and asking for views on the new information. If you are unable to come, you may wish to visit one of the public consultation events listed below.

Here is a copy of the notification our Society has received: Arundel A27 Highways England Fri 16 Aug 2019

Friends of the South Downs will:

We think it is important to study the documents and attend the consultation before commenting. See: https://highwaysengland.co.uk/projects/a27-arundel-improvement/

We are interested in your views. Please email us at: enquiries@southdownssociety.org.uk

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Society pledges public support for the National Park Authority

National Park Friends Group pledges support for Park Authority in controversial move.

At its meeting on 3 July the South Downs National Park Authority was promised the full and continuing support of its “Friends” organisation, the South Downs Society.

Addressing the meeting, the Society’s policy officer Steve Ankers, said “The Authority has taken a controversial step in seeking judicial review of the process by which Highways England identified its preferred option for the A27 Arundel bypass. This may not have gone down well with everyone but this Society unhesitatingly supports the Authority. Along with many other organisations, we campaigned for many years for a powerful, well-resourced body dedicated to conserving and enhancing the very special qualities of the South Downs and we are delighted to see it make this stand.”

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A27 Dual carriageway between Lewes and Polegate

Maria Caulfield MP, Chairman of the A27 Reference Group, has announced that a business case to dual the A27 is ready to go before Government Ministers.

The Friends of the South Downs have expressed their concerns about the proposal to put a motorway-style road in between Lewes and Polegate near Eastbourne as it will destroy the beautiful countryside and be visible from the South Downs and the South Downs National Park.

It will be a scar across the countryside whether you’re standing on Mount Caburn near Lewes or whether you are on Firle Beacon on the South Downs.

Spending an estimated £450 million, at more than £50M/mile is a huge amount of tax payers’ money to allow people to drive a bit faster over the 9 or 10 mile stretch of road. This stretch of road is often slow, due mainly to the single lane traffic.

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