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In this newsletter you'll read our Highway Operations
2024/2025 update, Riparian Toolkit, scheme updates and so much
more!
Highway
Operations 2024/2025
A busy but
effective year of maintaining the county’s road network
Figures for the 2024-2025 financial year have
highlighted the significant progress made by WSCC’s highways team
in improving the condition of the county’s 2,500 miles of road.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the council’s
highways team delivered a wide programme of essential reactive
maintenance and proactive improvements including:
- 44,767
potholes repaired, using durable methods such as ‘sawn and
sealed’ patching and ‘spray injection patching’
- A decrease in the
average time between receiving a report and repairing a
pothole to just 14 days
- 36,031 sqm of small
and medium scale structural carriageway and footway patching.
- 4,789sqm of repairs
during a 3-month trial of mastic asphalt. This repair
technique is highly durable, has recycled properties, no
wastage and no excavation required. We are monitoring sites to
establish if this should be a regular programme for future years.
Given the challenges face during the winter of
2023/24, the County Council retained a Jet Patcher and employed 3
find and fix gangs for winter 2024/25 to offer further resilience
to deal with carriageway deterioration. The gangs were deployed on
a proactive approach to identify areas of deterioration and repair
them before they became a safety issue.
The overall number of defects identified and waiting
to be repaired on the network are at some of the lowest levels in
recorded years.
The team’s hard work has been reflected in the number
of reports of defects, such as potholes or blocked drains being
submitted by the public. In a clear sign of the improvement in the
condition of the county’s road network, there has been a drop in
reports from 69,669 last year to 53,574.
The highways team also delivered a variety of traffic
related maintenance, including:
- 2,635
signs cleaned and cleared of overhanging vegetation
- 123,000 drainage
gullies cleansed
- 63 small scale
dranage schemes completed
- 27million sqm of
grass verges cut
Increasing
winter resilience by managing the county’s drainage assets
A relatively dry winter when compared to the previous
two years allowed the County Council's contractor to utilise
additional resource to maintain the county’s drainage assets in a
serviceable condition through the winter months and deliver some of
our lower priority works.
We operated 5 reactive jetting vehicles through the
winter which were deployed to flooding locations reported by
members of the public. In most cases the contractor was able to
resolve the problem and ensure the asset was free flowing.
Whilst we inevitably had some unavoidable road closures this year
due to flooding, the number was vastly reduced compared to the
previous 3 years.
Works continued on clearing our ditch network in rural
areas and again this work had a positive impact on enabling surface
water to drain from the highway.
Riparian
Toolkit is now available
We are pleased to announce the launch of the new
Riparian Toolkit designed to support you with watercourse/riparian
matters in your area. If you have not yet received your copy,
please do contact us at Parish-Town.Enquiries@westsussex.gov.uk
and we will email it to you.
The toolkit provides readily accessible information
and resources on topics such as:
- Riparian
ownership and responsibilities
- Guidance on
managing vegetation
- Contact details for
relevant agencies
We believe this resource will help you when assisting
residents with watercourse enquiries.
Dates for
your diary
4 June 2025
We invite you to an informative virtual briefing to
learn more about the West Sussex County Council's Community Highway
Schemes and Community Traffic Regulation Orders. Representatives
from the team will provide insight to:
- What
is a Community Highway Scheme (CHS) and a
Community Traffic Regulation Order (TRO)?
- How do we assess
and prioritise CHS and
Community TRO applications?
- How long does it
take to deliver a CHS and a Community TRO?
- How can parish and
town councils can support their communities when they are
making an application?
Please do submit your questions to Parish-Town.Enquiries@westsussex.gov.uk
with the subject line: 4 June Briefing.
Invites will be sent in the next week.
23 June 2025
We invite you to an informative virtual briefing to
learn more about the vital work of the West Sussex County Council
Highways Network Management team. This is an opportunity to gain a
deeper understanding of the Highway Network Management Plan -
Highway Network Management Plan
Representatives from Highway Network Management team
will provide insights about:
- Who
we are (an introduction)
- Legislative
Requirements
- Emergency Works
- Timescales
- Overview of the
Highways Network Management Plan
- Demand of the
Network
- Forward plans
- Compliance Inspections
- Lane Rental
Please do submit your questions to Parish-Town.Enquiries@westsussex.gov.uk
with the subject line: 23 June briefing.
Invites will be sent in the next week.
Licence to
plant
If you are looking to plant a tree near the highway
you may be interested in the Tree Licence to Plant Scheme. This
scheme, which is free of charge to apply requires you to pick the
sites, fund and source the trees, plant and maintain them. The
county council will check the site and species for suitability and
issues the licence. For more information and application form here.
Donate a
tree
Alternatively, you could contribute to the cost of a
new tree to be planted outside/near your property through the
Donate a Tree scheme. Orders need to be received before July
to secure planting in November to End February. If your chosen
species is suitable for the are, the cost covers the acquisition of
the tree from a reputable company, planting and undertaking a
three-year cyclical maintenance plan. Just fill out the form
on the web, and we will do the rest.
Please note: With all new
trees planted, we ask that you water them, especially during
periods of dry weather.
The new
Lyminster Bypass is now open
Motorists in West Sussex can now enjoy faster and more
convenient journeys to and from Littlehampton and Bognor Regis on
the Lyminster bypass which officially opened on Friday 9 May.
The County Council worked with Jackson Civil
Engineering to design and build the northern section which
includes a 225-metre viaduct that is an engineering
masterpiece, designed to endure and adapt to future climate
challenges. With 96 foundation piles anchored deep into the chalk
base, it guarantees stability and longevity.
Built on a floodplain, the viaduct features advanced
flood management solutions, including a natural-looking swale and
ponds to handle rainwater runoff.
Public
Realm Improvements bring new look to Bognor Regis Esplanade
West Sussex County Council is pleased to announce the
successful completion of the Bognor Regis Esplanade improvements.
This significant milestone marks a major step forward in the
ongoing regeneration of Bognor Regis seafront, which will see over
£40 million of investment from public and private organisations.
The project has delivered several enhancements aimed
at improving the accessibility, safety and aesthetic appeal of the
Esplanade.
WSP
Volunteering Activities
WSP are consultants in highway and engineering design
and are contracted to work with the county council. They volunteer
and deliver social value across the county, carrying out activities
such as preserving wildlife habitats, volunteering with charities
or working with schools to deliver career fairs/talks to name a
few. A few recent highlights of their work include:
Manhood
Wildlife and Heritage Group
The charity focuses on preserving wildlife habitats on
the Manhood Peninsula. In October 2024, four WSP colleagues
volunteered at Triangle Pond in Birdham, helping to clear
vegetation and add bark and chippings to the path. Their work aimed
to improve the habitat for water voles and other aquatic creatures.
Pagham
Harbour Conservation Area
In February 2025, a team of WSP volunteers under the
supervision of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
helped clear over a quarter of the vegetation in the Pagham Harbour
Conservation Area. The volunteers visited Tern Island, which is part
of the internationally important wetland site for wildlife such as
Blackheaded Gull, Little Tern, Common Tern, and Sandwich Tern.
Brent Lodge
Wildlife Hospital
On 4 July 2025, volunteers will attend Brent Lodge
Wildlife Hospital, which cares for injured and orphaned British
wildlife before releasing them back into the wild. They will be
helping with tasks such as cleaning enclosures, site maintenance,
and outdoor upkeep as the hospital gears up for their busiest
season.
Scheme
Updates
Planned
works to deliver Community Highway Scheme at A273 Clayton Hill,
Clayton / Pyecombe
Following the application for a Community Highway
Scheme (CHS), two pedestrian islands have been constructed at:
- Junction
of the B2112 and A273
- A273 north of the
junction with Underhill Lane.
The scheme, which includes the introduction of a 40mph
speed limit, will provide better crossing facilities for
pedestrians. (please see image below). Works are planned to take
place from 12 May to 20 June 2025 between 7:30 am – 5:30 pm. Some
delays are to be expected as the works will be using temporary
traffic signals which may cause some delay. This is to ensure the
site is safe to pass through. Further details can be found on one.network .
Please plan your journey in advance and look out for
important safety signs along your route. If you have any concerns
regarding access during these works please ask the onsite staff,
your safety is our priority.
Please Note: These works will not interfere with the planned
London to Brighton Bike Ride 2025 on the 15 of June 2025.
Junction
Improvement Works at Cedar Avenue / Rocky Lane, Haywards Heath
Improvement works at the Cedar Avenue junction with
Rocky Lane (A272) will begin on 9 June, running through to 15
August 2025 between 8 am – 4 pm with traffic management in place.
The junction is being widened to improve safety and
reduce potential conflict between road users and pedestrians by
improving sightlines as well as creating a better, safer crossing
point for pedestrians. Work will involve relocating significant
utility infrastructure beneath the road surface to accommodate the
improvements.
The proposed changes will be delivered by West Sussex
County Council’s contractor, Landbuild, alongside several key
utility providers including SGN, UK Power Networks, BT, Virgin
Media and South East Water. The various utility works will take
place in a collaborative manner to minimise disruption where
possible.
Advance warning signs via will be in place from 27 May
2025, we’ll also be letter dropping to those residents we believe
will be most affected by the works ahead of construction.
Installation of a new drainage system in Burgess Hill's A273 Jane Murray Way
From 2 to 27 June 2025, essential works will take
place to install a new drainage system to collect surface water
from the land south of B&Q. The drainage will run through Mid
Sussex District Council land and discharge into a new filter drain
on the southern verge of Jane Murray Way.
These works will help alleviate flooding on the A273
Jane Murray Way and within the nearby industrial estate around
William Way.
Work will take place between 7:30 am and 5:30 pm
daily, with traffic managed by two-way lights. We apologise for any
inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience while
these improvements are made. For further updates and details,
please visit one.network.
Road safety
improvements in Bognor Regis and Crawley
West Sussex County Council has converted an existing segregated footway cycleway into a
shared cycleway around Orchard Way Roundabout in Bognor and its
connection points. This scheme originated from concerns raised
following cycle collisions. Works included:
- Resurfacing
- Vegetation
clearance
- Tree crown lifting
- Signage upgrade
These improvements will benefit pedestrians and
cyclists using the roundabout.
Another road safety scheme in Crawley involved
replacing outdated directional signs at all entry points to the
A23/A2011 Tushmore Gyratory. The work also included updating lane
destination markings and clearing vegetation around the junction.
Gatwick Road
Roundabout to Hazelwick Roundabout, Crawley
West Sussex County Council recently completed
resurfacing works in Crawley from Gatwick Road Roundabout to
Hazelwick Roundabout and all adjoining side roads (entrances).
Improved
public transport satisfaction
We're proud to share that satisfaction with bus
services in West Sussex has improved to 86% following the results of the 2024 Transport Focus survey.
And Compass Travel were the second most highly rated bus operator
of the 61 included in the survey.
In the 2024 National Highways and Transport Network
survey, West Sussex bus passengers have reported increased
satisfaction with bus safety, bus accessibility and cleanliness.
Environment
and climate change newsletter
Would you like to hear about how the county council is
working to protect the environment and how you can be more
sustainable in your day-to-day life? Sign up to our Environment
& Climate Change e-newsletter and receive all our latest news
and developments straight to your inbox. Sign up here.
Keep up to
date
WhatsApp
Bringing you gritter alerts, grass cutting updates and
up to date information on road issues affecting high speed roads.
You can follow silently or opt for alerts to notify you when we
share an update. To find us open WhatsApp and select "Updates"
from the bottom menu, then simply search for WSHighways or click
the link - WSHighways.
Bluesky
Updates on emergency reports are posted every day.
Just search for @wshighways.bsky.social.
X
Updates on emergency reports are posted every day and
project updates are posted frequently on the West Sussex Highways X
account (formerly Twitter). Just search @WSHighways.
Produced by the Customer Liasion Officer, Highways
Transport and Planning. Please contact active.communities@westsussex.gov.uk with
any comments or suggestions.
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