A27 Action

Improvements to the A27 trunk road and complementary public transport improvements at Chichester, Arundel, Worthing and Lancing are priorities in the West Sussex Transport Plan.

The improvements are needed to increase capacity, improve reliability and safety and to help increase the competitiveness of local businesses and attract investment.

The Government has included the A27 Arundel Bypass in its Roads Investment Strategy 2020-25 (RIS2). Highways England (now called National Highways) have announced that their preferred route for the scheme is the Grey Route (also known as Option 5BV1).

The scheme is a nationally significant infrastructure project, which will require ‘development consent’ from the relevant Secretary of State under the Development Consent Order process, rather than planning permission from the relevant planning authority.  Formal consultation on the scheme started on 11 January 2022.

The County Council responded to National Highways' 2019 consultation on options indicating a preference for the Magenta Route (also known as Option 4/5AV1), subject to the identification and delivery of a high quality package of measures to reduce impacts on the environment and communities.

The consultation response is available below.

• A27 Arundel WSCC consultation response October 2019 (PDF, 166KB)

In March 2023, the Government announced that the scheme would be deferred to RIS3 (2025-30).

The Government has included the A27 Worthing & Lancing scheme in its Roads Investment Strategy 2020-25 (RIS2).

Public consultation was held on three options for small-scale improvements in early 2023. Consultation feedback will be analysed before National Highways announce their preferred option for the scheme.

The County Council responded to National Highways' 2023 consultation indicating that it supports delivery of small-scale improvements but does not have a preference for any of the options as they are currently presented.

The consultation response is available below.

• A27 Worthing and Lancing Consultation Response (PDF, 147KB)

The Government has included the A27 Chichester scheme in the pipeline of proposals that will be developed so that they could be constructed in the future. In March 2023, the Government announced that schemes in the pipeline would be considered for inclusion in RIS4 (2030-35).

National Highways are engaging local stakeholders to help develop options in preparation for a public consultation.

The County Council has previously submitted two conceptual options for improving the A27 at Chichester and indicated that its preferred option is a strategic northern bypass, but that a southern route, involving major works on all six junctions on the existing A27, should be developed as a reasonable alternative option.

National Highways concluded that the options are undeliverable due to their costs and, in the case of the northern option, the conflict with national policy.

Information about the options and National Highways' response are available below.

Further information about the Build A Better A27 initiative is available upon request.

• A27 Chichester viability and buildability of BABA27 options December 2018 (PDF, 553KB)
• A27 Chichester Build A Better A27 final report May 2018 (PDF, 2.4MB)