News Date: Monday 28th February 2005
Broadwater Conservatives hold packed public meeting on A27
Broadwater Parish Rooms were packed for a meeting on ‘A27 developments – Improvements or Imprudence’ organised by Broadwater Conservatives on Saturday and chaired by East Worthing MP Tim Loughton.
The meeting was called to respond to concerns raised by local residents about proposed changes to the A27 including the addition of traffic lights at the Warren Road roundabout. Highways Agency representative Arvind Ranpuria and a colleague from the consultants InterRoute gave a presentation and took a great number of questions about how this was intended to speed up traffic flow and reduce queues. County Councillor Colin O’Neill who represents the Offington Division of Worthing which includes this stretch of the A27 also spoke.
As a result of the meeting, the Highways Agency have agreed to carry out more research about additional safety measures which would be necessary particularly if the works succeed in increasing traffic speeds. Offington resident Katy Martin and other parents from the Vale School also expressed worries about the safety of pupils crossing the A27 to attend the Vale or coming from Findon Valley to secondary schools in the town. This is part of ongoing safety studies through ‘Safer Routes to school’ which is campaigning to reduce the speed limit to 30mph along Findon Road which have been supported by Tim Loughton and which will now involve the Highways Agency who will soon be looking at ways of increasing pedestrian safety close to Offington Roundabout. They will also be looking at the possibility of pedestrian crossings between Warren road and Lyons Farm particularly in respect of the children’s playground on the north side of the A27 there.
Tim Loughton offered to take up all the points with both the Highways Agency and the Highways department of West Sussex Council and report back to constituents when more research has been done, holding a follow up meeting if required.
He commented:
‘This was a very successful meeting which clearly showed the need for local people to raise their concerns with the Highways Agency and have a lot of unanswered questions addressed. I will be pressing for more detailed answers to these questions and challenging the Agency if some of the solutions put forward cannot be provided. Speeding up traffic flow is one thing but it must be realistic and not at the expense of pedestrian safety, particularly schoolchildren. I will be happy to hold a follow up meeting to report on progress in a few months time and I am grateful to Broadwater Conservatives for organising this meeting.’
ENDS
