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In the November edition of this newsletter you'll see
a 6 month overview, scheme updates, updates from our Countryside
team and more!
Better
Roads: A busy 6 months maintaining our highways in West Sussex
Almost 40,000 safety related defects on highways
across West Sussex have been repaired between April and September
as we retain our commitment to better roads.
This year the council invested an extra £13 million to
actively tackle the problem of our deteriorating roads and keep the
county moving.
This was in addition to the base budget for the year
of £42.8 million and £2.1 million received from the Department for
Transport’s Road Resurfacing Fund.
Preparing
for winter
Ahead of the coming winter months, we are increasing
work to clear drainage systems and ensure water can run off the
roads as effectively as possible should we get more heavy rain,
providing extra resources to clear more gullies, ditches and areas
where leaves build up.
So far this year, we have carried out more than 43,000
drainage gully cleanses, brought in extra CCTV resource to monitor
and identify issues, and provided an additional jetting unit to
clear flooded areas and get them moving as soon as possible.
West Sussex County Council’s Highways Team will
continue this work over the coming months and is calling on road
users to help keep the network open by continuing to report any
issues you encounter using our online reporting tool.
Planting
Season
Our planting season has begun, with West Sussex
securing 300 trees to be planted around the county. This year
we have 85 new trees kindly donated by our Parishes and our Donate
a Tree Scheme. West Sussex supplied approximately 91
replacements and 124 new trees to be planted. If you are
fortunate to have a new tree planted near you, please help by
watering it, no amount of water is too much.
For more information on tree planting or if you would
like to participate in our Donate a Tree Scheme please visit our
web pages Tree planting - West Sussex County Council
Scheme
Updates
Pedestrian Crossing refurbishment on Haslett
Avenue East, Hawth Avenue, Crawley
Part of the
Halogen Bulb Replacement Programme works to refurbish the crossing
to a more efficient and green crossing from 11th November for approximately 6 weeks between 09:30 –
15:30. The works will include decommissioning of current pedestrian
crossing and signals and installation of upgraded crossing, new
signal poles, signal heads and controller. There will be overnight
road closure from 18th November 2024 to 21st November between 8pm to 2am. Multi Way traffic
management will be in place throughout the works. Further details
on one.network.
Community
Highway scheme at Southwater
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Community Highway Scheme successfully completed in
Southwater. Construction of a new pedestrian footpath,
uncontrolled pedestrian crossing and installation of road marking
have successfully completed.
The works were required to improve the pedestrian
facilities on the northern section of Blakes Farm Road and to
improve the pedestrian access to Martindales.
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Road Closure
on Wallage Lane, Rowfant, Crawley
Planned works to repair and install new drainage
system to prevent flooding to start from 9th to 17th
December 2024. There will be full road closure with route
diversions signed on site. Further details can be found on
one.network.
‘Road
Safety Theatre in Education’ performance at Felpham Community
College
On Monday 14th October, two ‘Road Safety
Theatre in Education’ performances were put on at Felpham Community
College; one for Year 7 and the other for Year 11 students. These
performances are arranged by theatre company ‘Rapport Ltd.’, in
collaboration with the ‘Sussex Safer Roads Partnership’, with whom
WSCC are partners.
The Year 7 performance is called ‘Look Up’ and teaches
students about the importance of pedestrian safety. It also covers
how to spot hazards on a journey as a pedestrian, the importance of
using our senses in road safety and how to think like a driver to
become more aware of the impact behaviour has on safety.
The Year 11 performance is called ‘Take a Second’ and
students learn about the impact of their own behaviours. It covers
how to be a safer passenger actively, the impact of speed on an
accident, the dangers of distracting a driver, drink and drugs and
how to speak up to stay safe in a car.
Councillor Jaine Wild (for Felpham) attended the Year
7 performance and commented: -
“I attended the 2024 tour
for Road Safety ‘Theatre in Education’ at Felpham Community College
and must say how impressed I was. The engagement with students
watching was first class and the team also interacted with the
students asking individuals to come up and share situations. The
theme was based on modern times, of children head down crossing
roads looking at mobile phones or wearing head phones and hoods up.
This would of immediately struck a chord with the age group they
were entertaining. We also had visual slides and sounds. The
students would have been able to connect with the three main
characters acting, and I was greatly impressed overall with the
performance which would of made the students think. I personally
would like to also see a theatre group for younger children,
primary age who would be riding bikes to school for the first time.
But overall a great production and certainly in terms of cost,
worth it.”
Jaine
Wild, County Councillor for Felpham
Countryside
Updates
Buchan Path,
Buchan Country Park – Surface Improvement Works
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A 600m length of path was widened, surfaced and with
drainage works undertaken to help prevent water run-off degrading
the path surface. Works were completed in May/June 2024.
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Hurstpierpoint
& Sayers Common – Footpath 66Hu – Surface Improvement Works
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This footpath is a popular route that became narrow,
gullied and difficult for users to navigate. The 100m
length of path was cleared, re-graded and surfaced to make the
path wider and accessible for users including pushchairs. Works
were completed in May 2024.
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Plaistow –
Restricted Byway 639 – Surface Improvement Works
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An 800m length of restricted byway was impassable
virtually all year round. Works were undertaken to clear
and surface the path along with ditch clearance and culvert
installation to assist with the drainage of the path. Works were
completed in June/July 2024.
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Lancing –
Bridleway 2065 – Surface Improvement Works
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560m length of bridleway was gullied and slippery in
the wet due to underlying chalk. The path was re-graded and
surfaced to provide a wider, level path for users providing a
useful off-road link between Lancing College and the South Downs.
The works were undertaken in August 2024.
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Horsham –
Footpath 1697 – Bridge Replacement Works
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This bridge was damaged beyond repair by a fallen
tree and required complete replacement. The path was closed
until the bridge was replaced with a new 6.0m span timber
footbridge. This new bridge was installed in August 2024.
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Bolney –
Footpath 18Bo – Surface Improvement Works
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140m length of footpath was very muddy and
impassable in wet conditions and is an important route from a
housing development to the local Primary School. The path
was cleared and surfaced to provide a safe off-road route
available to use all year round. The works were undertaken in
August 2024.
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Hassocks –
Bridleway 8C – Surface Improvement Works
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475m length of bridleway was muddy and impassable
during the winter. The path was cleared and surfaced to
provide a usable bridleway link year-round. The works
were funded using s106 contributions. The works
were undertaken in July 2024.
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Aldingbourne
– Footpath 300 – Surface Improvement Works
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150m length of footpath was very muddy and poorly
drained making access difficult for users. The path had
significant vegetation and ditch clearance undertaken along with
surfacing and new wider plank crossings installed. These
works were funded using s106 contributions. The works were
undertaken in August 2024.
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King Charles
III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP)
The final section of the King Charles III England
Coast Path in West Sussex, between East Head and South Hayling, was
approved on the 16th July 2024 by the Secretary of
State.
Work is now underway to prepare the new stretch of
coast path for public use. The first step is to contact owners and
occupiers of the affected land to discuss the design and location
of any new infrastructure which is needed, such as signs and gates.
There will also be improvements to path surfaces and new sections
of path for the public to enjoy.
When preparations are complete, new access rights will
come into force along the route and adjoining spreading room.
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Produced by the Stakeholder and Partnerships Officer,
Highways Transport and Planning. Please contact active.communities@westsussex.gov.uk with
any comments or suggestions.
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