Following many complaints about the former site in Smugglers Lane, a public meeting was held involving leading parish councillors, the police, PCSO and wardens. Despite some success in convincing people that the young people were not a group of anti-social youths, a few local people disagreed and scattered dog excrement and broken glass over the site, ending any chances of it being used again.

Whilst it is understood that there were some issues of noise, the young people had taken the complaints on board and were behaving. It is very sad that a few adults responded by ruining the site, and leading parish councillors want to make up for it by providing a suitable site.

Unfortunately the current proposal for a site accessed off The Bostal is not suitable. It would be on a site half way up The Bostal, past the reservoir, and left through a gate of sorts for pedestrians and horse riders along a marked bridleway. It is an SSSI, part of the current AONB and likely to be in the South Downs National Park.

Although it is understood that the young people only want to be able to dig a few jumps and ride their bikes, as they did in Smugglers Lane, and there is no proposal for an official BMX park at this stage; with the growth of the sport now it is an Olympic success this could well change. In addition there are other concerns that would need to be addressed: - unsupervised youngsters crossing main roads, the conservation status of the land and legal requirements arising, the needs of other users, accessibility in the event of an accident and the safety of the young people using the site.

Another complication is that there is a proposal to change the status of The Bostal to a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT), and this is due to be considered by the Planning Inspectorate in January 2009. Even if this is approved the primary users of BOATs are intended to be walkers and horses, with only secondary/occasional use by vehicles. How can public access to a BMX track be compatible with that? The number of horse-riders daily using The Bostal has increased dramatically in the last year or so. There is a clear possibility of conflict between them and all the people going to and from a BMX meeting. Finally this proposal might pre-empt consideration of a Traffic Regulation Order to ban vehicles from The Bostal, which is still one of the preferred options of the local opponents to the BOAT bid.

Clearly for the reasons highlighted The Bostal site is not acceptable, but another site needs to be identified which would be a suitable replacement for Smugglers Lane and capable for further development to a full BMX track should it be a success. Constructive suggestions which I can pass to the Parish Council would be appreciated.  

The Forum (CAFWS) aims to improve countryside access for all across the county. It is an independent, advisory body operating on a statutory basis.CAFWS was established in 2003 as required by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act), which placed a duty on each County Council, Unitary Authority and National Park to set up a Local Access Forum (in West Sussex this is CAFWS).

There was an excellent Forum Workshop at Haywards Heath on 2 July about the West Sussex Rights of Way Improvement Plan. The Plan was prepared last year but, although required by Government, no extra government funding has been provided to enable the Plan to be implemented.

The Workshop discussed ways in which CAFWS members could influence various bodies such as County, District and Parish Councils to assist in implementing the priority parts of the Plan. I made a strong plea to give the improvement of the Downs Link a priority, with more links to local communities such as Small Dole for cyclists. Ways to achieve this were discussed, including greater involvement of Parish Councils along the Downs Link route.

I have added a website link to the CAFWS website for people to keep up to date with it’s activities and progress on the Rights of Way Improvement Plan.

This footpath is currently being temporarily closed for emergency electrical work.

It has been agreed, however, that once the work is finished, the contractors will re-instate the path to the full width available. This would make it possible to consider making the route from Breach Close to the Grammar and Primary Schools entrance usable for cycling as well as the very many pedestrians who use it every day.

I will ask for this to be taken into account in the the school travel plans currently being revised.

A small number of residents have expressed support for a route alongside the Henfield Road, suggested in the Spring edition of the Bramber Castle Focus. This would enable people to walk/cycle between the villages in safety. Some said that it would also encourage them to cycle rather than use their cars.

One respondent suggested that rather than build such a new roadside footpath/cycleway, a cheaper solution would be to use the existing Right of Way (FP 2775) along New Hall Lane, and then go west to connect to the Downs Link. This would then provide a direct access from Small Dole by foot and bike safely to Henfield and Steyning in a much nicer environment.

Does this latest idea have local support? Please let me know.

Discussions have taken place with the two Primary Schools and the Grammar School and with the Towers on individual travel plans, but there is a good case for a joint travel plan for the area.

This is because some children go from Upper Beeding to St Andrew’s Primary School, Steyning and Steyning Grammar School, some children from Steyning go to Upper Beeding Primary School and the Towers. 

Clearly a joint plan could put forward more radical solutions for safer travel to/from the various schools, especially involving a safe crossing of the A283, which would have more chance of sucess than if just part of individual plans.

The Grammar School is going to update all the survey information within their travel plan and also survey the staff and 6th formers as it is felt that this is where their biggest problem lies. 

A meeting will be organised after half term when everyone can meet to discuss the way forward.

The consultation period will be from May to July 2008.

The County Policy & Resources Select Committee on Wednesday (7th) at County Hall will be considering the methods used in preparing the draft Strategy, whether additional groups might be engaged in the preparation of the Strategy work and how to promote the consultation in local communities.

The Strategy will be for all the population, not just those who have been traditionally been supported because they have been seen to have the highest needs. It should: -

aim to build strong and cohesive communities where individuals feel included and recognise their responsibilities;

assist individuals and communities to access services and opportunities with minimal intervention; and

encourage service providers to work as partners in focusing needs and aspirations of people, ensuring that there are high quality affordable services, and improving information provision from a variety of sources including through the web, so people can identify, and take, opportunities and choices.

I will be suggesting that Parish Councils should be included in the consultation, and will be reporting on this the Upper Beeding and Bramber Parish Council meetings this week.

A summary of the Framework document is available from the County Council at:

www.westsussex.gov.uk/scs

Please read the Framework, consider the information it presents, and then respond to the questions at the end of the document.

Following the improvements to the Downs Link/South Downs Way earlier this year, a second phase of works is planned for later this year to improve the South Downs Way eastwards from the bridge to the A283.

This will involve raising in part the height of the bridleway, lengthening the ramp down from the riverbank to reduce the path gradient, and laying an improved stoned surface.

During negotiations with the landowner agreement has been made to widen the path to facilitate these works and for the convenience of future path users. The present path gradient is no steeper than previously existed but, once works are completed, will be significantly shallower.

This is more good news for users of the Downs Link/South Downs Way through the Bramber Castle Division. Hopefully there will be more to come soon!

A few local residents have expressed concerns about the safety of the Bramber roundabout to Roman Road section of Castle Lane.

This section of Castle Lane is very narrow with bends and few passing places. The current building works along the Lane have not helped, making the route even narrower in places, although these works should be completed soon.

There have been calls to make the Lane one way, or for better passing places to be provided with safer refuges for pedestrians using the Lane for access to properties. People walking or cycling between the roundabout and Roman Road are able to use the Castle Lane bypass pathway, provided a few years ago to be a safe alternative to the dangerous narrow section of Castle Lane.

When residents of the area were surveyed many years ago on possibly making the route one way there were very many objections. Has this view changed? Comments please to Derek Deedman via this website.

County staff are continuing to work with the School to reach travel mark level two (TML2).

Once the school achieve this Level consideration will be given to completing the path between Pound Lane and Monks Walk as a minor scheme. However it appears that there are currently many schools on the county list, so the work is unlikely to be done within the next year or two. Being at TML2 will put the School in a better position to have the footpath completed.

Although there has been little support for a cycleway from Golding Barn to Small Dole, a staff member at Woods Mill feels there would be lots of support for the provision of a cycle track from Small Dole to Henfield.

Certainly the amount of traffic including heavy lorries, car transporters etc. on the road between the two Villages is horrendous and this undoubtedly deters most people from attempting to cycle the route.

Such a link would complement the footway from Woodmancote to Henfield, and encourage more people who visit Henfield from its outlying villages to walk/cycle rather than use their cars.

In addition there are a number of businesses based along the Shoreham Road between Small Dole and Henfield. There could well be interest from people who live in Small Dole or Henfield, and work in the business premises concerned, to cycle/walk to work rather than take the car if there was a safe route along the road. A positive survey of the staff at those businesses would be extremely valuable in making the case for the provision of such a foot/cycleway. Any help in organising a survey would be appreciated.