1 Scheme overview
West Sussex County Council is developing the Lancing and Sompting East‑West active travel scheme. This is a large project to improve walking and cycling routes. The route will link Sompting and Lancing using West Street, Cokeham Road and Crabtree Lane, and will connect to the junction with the A2025 Grinstead Lane.
The West Sussex Transport Plan 2022 to 2036 lists the Lancing and Sompting cycle routes as a medium‑term priority for investment between 2027 and 2032. The Adur and Worthing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan 2020 also lists this route as a priority. West Sussex County Council added the scheme to its Capital Programme in January 2024.
The scheme will include separate paths for walking and two‑way cycle paths along Cokeham Road and Crabtree Lane. It will also make it easier and safer for people walking and cycling to cross quieter side roads. On Upper Brighton Road and West Street, there is less space on the road. In these areas, the scheme will use shared paths and cycle lanes on the road. It will also add measures to slow down traffic.
The scheme aims to:
- provide attractive and sustainable transport infrastructure to reduce the impact of development across the Lancing and Sompting area
- create safe and appealing routes for walking and cycling that encourage people to:
- change how they travel
- use their cars less
- stay healthy by being more active
- improve access across the area by linking:
- homes
- jobs
- education
- services
- leisure places
- public transport
- support local businesses and the economy by:
- reducing congestion
- making journeys more reliable
- making it easier for people to travel
- reduce transport pollution in the local area to improve air quality and help tackle climate change
2 Latest update
The Lancing and Sompting East-West active travel scheme is at an early design stage. We plan to finish this stage in August 2026. After that, we will review the design in autumn 2026.
Work on the early design has already started. We have finished land surveys to help shape the designs. These surveys help us look at different options in more detail. They also help us understand and manage any limits we found earlier.
What we learn from this work will help us create proposals to share with people who have an interest in the project. It will also help us move to the next stages, including looking for funding and applying for the money needed to build the scheme.
3 Public consultation documents
Find the consultation summary results and further information on the Lancing and Sompting web page.
4 Timelines
The proposed timelines for the scheme are:
- preliminary design - summer 2026
- landowner negotiations, business case development, public consultation and further design work - to be confirmed
- detailed design - summer 2028
- expected phased construction commencement - to be confirmed, subject to funding
When we confirm dates and timelines, we will update this information.