Campaigners reject Highways England plans for Arundel A27 bypass
Campaigners against the proposed A27 Arundel bypass have gathered outside the South Downs National Park headquarters in Midhurst to make their voices heard.
They are calling on the planning committee to reject the National Highways’ consultation plan for the major Sussex route.
It will cost over up to £380 million and is designed to reduce congestion on one of the South’s biggest road bottlenecks.
The new 8km dual carriageway, which was one of six options put forward to the public, will sit south of the A27 avoiding the South Downs National Park.
National Highways say making changes to the A27 at Arundel hope to:
Improve safety
Increase the capacity of the road
Reduce congestion and travel time
Have as little impact as possible on the environment
Protect and enhance the quality of the surrounding environment through high quality design
Respect the South Downs National Park and its special qualities in our decision-making
Since the scheme was first talked about there’s been fierce opposition from environmental campaigners, conservationists and people who live in villages along the proposed route.
Kay Wagland, representing Arundel SCATE, explained that “National Highways relies on forecasts showing ever-increasing traffic, but their models have been shown to consistently overstate growth where no road is built.
"In addition, National Highways’ claims that there is demand for a long-distance south coast highway leads to the design of long stretches of locally inaccessible dual carriageway but their data shows that three-quarters of the traffic at Arundel is travelling less than 9 miles and a fifth less than 3 miles. They are not serving local people or even meeting real transport demand.”
Philip Maber, from the Chichester and Arun Green Party, concluded his speech by saying “The overriding reason to oppose the Arundel Grey route is the ever-accelerating climate and biodiversity catastrophe.”However, National Highways stated that the bypass would remove 30,000 vehicles a day from the present A27, part of which passes through the National Park. They said, “there will be many benefits. ... 30,000 vehicles will be taken off that road [he is talking about thepresent A27 and its detrunking] which severs a spur of the National Park, onto the new bypass”.
The South Downs National Park Authority said: “Members of Planning Committee have today considered the Authority’s response to National Highways’ statutory consultation on the proposed A27 Arundel Bypass.
"The decision on route selection is solely for National Highways, which has a responsibility to take into account the comments of all consultees, including the South Downs National Park Authority.
"The proposed bypass of the A27 avoids direct incursion into the National Park, which the Authority welcomes. However, the SDNPA has significant concerns regarding the impact of the proposal on the setting of the National Park in respect of landscape character and in views from, and to, the National Park.
"There are concerns regarding the impact on wildlife and biodiversity, as a result of severance caused by the bypass and related effects on habitat quality.
"Therefore, the Authority strongly objects to this proposal as presented. We will continue to work with National Highways and other stakeholders to ensure sufficient consideration and action is taken to address the issues."
National Highways say they are working hard to consider the environmental impact of the road.
"Our ecology team work around the clock to gather information about the ecology of the site. This includes information about the wildlife habitats as well as individual species, and they’ll be looking on land, in the watercourses, and up in the air!
"Ecologists will be on site most weeks, looking for different things depending on the season and the weather conditions."