West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is developing the A285 Tangmere to Chichester Active Travel Scheme. This major project will improve walking, cycling and bus travel between Chichester and Tangmere.
The route will connect Chichester and Tangmere through:
- St Pancras
- Westhampnett Road
- Church Road
- Footpath 553
- Shopwhyke Lakes
The scheme also includes a new path south of the A27. Part of this path will cross a small area of land owned by another organisation.
The West Sussex Transport Plan 2022 to 2036 and the Chichester Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan 2021 to 2031 both identify this route as an important project. Due to funding, staffing and technical challenges, West Sussex County Council plans to build the scheme in 2 phases:
- Phase 1: Chichester city centre to Shopwhyke Lakes
- Phase 2: Shopwhyke Lakes to Tangmere
WSCC approved the scheme for its capital programme in May 2026.
Scheme aims
The scheme will create a walking and cycling route between Tangmere and east Chichester. Some parts of the route will have separate paths for people walking and cycling, while other parts will be shared. The scheme will also improve the A285 Westhampnett Road.
Bus passengers will benefit too. The plans include better bus stops and more real-time travel information to help people plan their journeys.
The main aims of the scheme are to:
- create a 2-way cycle track next to the footway on the north side of St Pancras and reduce the road to 1 traffic lane
- create a 2-way cycle track next to the footway on the south side of Westhampnett Road, removing around 10 on-street parking spaces
- make 2 short walking and cycling sections on the south side of Westhampnett Road between:
- Tozer Way and River Lavant footbridge
- St James Road and Spitalfield Lane
- improve the traffic lights at the Westhampnett Road and St James Road junction to:
- allow more traffic to move through the junction
- add technology that detects buses and gives them priority
- improve the path alongside St James Industrial Estate and widen Footpath 553 for people walking and cycling
- improve access to the Shopwhyke Lakes development using the existing foot and cycle bridge over the A27
- install raised crossings (sometimes called Copenhagen style crossings) on all side roads to make crossing easier and safer for people who are walking and cycling
Latest update
We are currently developing the initial designs for the scheme. We expect to complete this stage by May 2027. We will follow this with a design review in summer 2027.
In recent months, the project team has continued to develop the designs and collect information to support the next stages of the scheme. This work includes:
- carrying out early investigations of bridges, culverts (drainage structures) and other structures
- arranging land surveys to help develop the designs
- speaking with engineers about design options, costs and timescales
- preparing plans to work with landowners and other stakeholders
This work will help the team understand the route in more detail and find the best way to deal with any challenges.
The results will:
- help shape future proposals
- support discussions with organisations, landowners and the community
- help us look for the funding we need to build the scheme
Public consultation documents
See Your Voice to find information about completed consultations.
We will share details about future consultations when they are available.
Timelines
The indicative timelines for the scheme are:
- May 2027 - preliminary design - after which, we will:
- negotiate with landowners
- develop the business case for funding
- carry out public consultation
- do further design work
- Summer 2028 - detailed design
Phased building work will depend on funding and we cannot say when it will start.
We will update this information as we confirm the dates.