Highways England have today announced their preferred route for the long-awaited Arundel by-pass.

The preferred option is route 5A, the most southerly of the “offline” options.

The route continues straight from where the dual carriageway currently terminates at Burpham, cross the River Arun south of Tortington, and continues close to the village of  Binsted before turning north and rejoining the current A27 north of Walberton at Yapton Lane.

There would be a continuous pedestrian/cycle path between Crossbush junction and Yapton Lane, alongside the existing A27.

48% in favour

The Highways England website reports on the background to the decision, stating that from the public consultation 48% of respondents preferred this route as against 27% and 23% who supported routes 1 and 3 respectively.

As to the proximity to Binsted, the report goes on to state that “3% (of respondents) were concerned about the proximity of the route to Binsted, and the resulting impacts on the local community in the village. The Arundel Bypass Neighbourhood Committee also submitted a petition with 2,508 signatures opposing this option, with Walberton Parish Council’s consultation response also expressing their opposition.”

Improved journey times

Commenting on the benefits the scheme would bring, Highways England say that Option 5A will “provide a long-term solution to relieve congestion and delays in the area, and help reduce severance in the (Arundel) town centre.”

They say other benefits of the scheme will:

• Improve journey times by up to 8 minutes westbound and 12 minutes eastbound
• Make journeys safer by encouraging motorists to use the A27, rather than seeking alternative local routes to avoid congestion around Arundel.
• Support economic growth: businesses
  across the region will benefit from efficiency
  improvements and improved journey times
• Help cyclists and pedestrians as lower traffic
  levels on the existing A27 are likely to make the
  route more attractive to cyclists and pedestrians.

Further consultation next year

Of course this is still not the end of this seemingly interminable story which has blighted the area for many years. There will be a statutory public consultation in 2019, after which an application will be submitted, with work currently scheduled to commence in 2020.

More immediately, the public is invited to attend drop-in events in the next few days as follows:

15 May 4pm to 7.30pm Arundel Town Hall Maltravers Street, Arundel, BN18 9AP
18 May  4pm to 7.30pm The White Swan 16 Chichester Road, Arundel, BN18 0AD
22 May  4pm to 7.30pm Hilton Avisford Park Yapton Lane, Walberton, Arundel, BN18 0LS