(Position at June 2019)
Background
The A29 realignment scheme is an important part of the aims for Arun District, as outlined in the West Sussex Transport Plan. The Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) also shares this vision in its Strategic Economic Plan.
The existing A29 currently experiences traffic congestion during peak periods, especially at the Woodgate level crossing. This has led to unreliable journey times and queuing vehicles, affecting air quality.
The Arun Local Plan has identified that the Barnham, Eastergate and Westergate areas would require additional infrastructure to support planned, local development. Therefore, West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has commissioned a feasibility study to refine the design presented in the Arun Local Plan.
Benefits of the proposed scheme
The A29 realignment will deliver a new 4.34km road to the east of Eastergate, Westergate and Woodgate villages.
The new road is planned to start from the existing A29 Fontwell Avenue, north of Eastergate to the existing A29 Lidsey Road, north of Shripney.
The proposed road will help to provide a more reliable connection to Bognor Regis and reduce traffic along the section of the existing A29 that is proposed to be bypassed, especially at the Woodgate level crossing and the War Memorial junction.
This will improve and reduce people’s journeys and help provide safer journeys for all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.
The new road will enable access to land that is allocated for development in the adopted Arun Local Plan, thereby providing access to new jobs and new homes in Arun District.
The scheme includes:
- new single carriageway road (in each direction), with a combined cycleway/footway along its entire length
- potential planting of trees in verges between the carriageway and combined cycleway/footway
- construction of a new railway bridge over the existing West Coastway railway line with provision for cycling and walking routes parallel to the railway line on both sides
- construction of a foot and cycle bridge to support the local school cycling and walking routes
- links to Public Rights of Way and provision to support future green infrastructure investment via the Arun Local Plan
- provision of pedestrian crossing points at junctions.
What we are working on now
- From the initial feasibility sketches in the Arun Local Plan the A29 realignment scheme has been developed into a preliminary design by our consultant.
- A Transport Business Case has been produced for consideration by the Local Enterprise Partnership who are one of the funding partners, we should know the outcome of this in July 2019.
- A public consultation exercise took place between 26 February and 2 March 2019 where there was the opportunity to meet with officers to view and discuss the proposed plans for the new A29 route. The opportunity of commenting on the proposals continued until 26 April 2019, the results of which are currently being reviewed and will be published in summer 2019.
- A planning application and Environmental Impact Assessment is currently being prepared for Phase 1 (northern route) and it is planned to be submitted to West Sussex County Council Planning in autumn 2019.
- Ecology surveys for Phase 1 (northern route) are ongoing, including:
- water bodies
- trees
- bats
- badgers
- dormouse
- breeding birds
- reptiles
- amphibians
- invertebrates.
- Tender documents for Phase 1 (northern route) have been sent out to our framework contractors with the initial focus on the detailed design element of the scheme. The detailed design stage will, where possible and appropriate, incorporate aspects of the consultation responses.
Supporting information
- Exhibition banners (PDF, 7.3MB)
- A29 realignment scheme - Frequently asked questions (PDF, 379KB)
- A29 forecast flow difference comparison am peak (PDF, 424KB)
- A29 forecast flow difference comparison pm peak (PDF, 421KB)
- Draft A29 realignment Transport Business Case (PDF, 32MB)
