I recently had to complain yet again about some poor aspects of this year’s grass cutting of highway verges and that some verges continue to be ignored.

From colleagues on the County Council I know this is a problem throughout the County so I welcome the news that a new contract for grass cutting is being issued for next year. I understand that this will provide contractors with electronic maps of all urban grass, so hopefully this will ensure that no areas are missed in future.

We will still have to on our guard for poor standards and to report them to the County Council whenever they occur! I will post the work schedule for grass cutting as soon as I am informed.

I have recently referred an example of poor grass cutting of a verge in Upper Beeding and the continued lack of grass cutting of a verge in Steyning, to the County Council’s Grass Cutting Contract Manager.

I am awaiting his response on the situation but in the meantime I raised the problem of general poor grass cutting standards throughout the County at the Policy & Resources Select Committee meeting yesterday at County Hall.

A report proposing improved customer service on dealing with complaints was being discussed at the time, and the officer was reporting, as an example, how a grass cutting problem in the west of the County was being resolved. I and a number of other County Councillors brought the officer’s attention to the fact that the grass cutting contract standards and conditions are not, in our view, being fully enforced.

I said that it would be better if the number of contracted cuts in a year (eleven) was reduced to say, ten, with the money saved to be used for a higher standard of enforcing contract compliance.

The path closure is necessary to protect public safety whilst improvement works are being undertaken on the bridleway.

Unfortunately this link route using the South Downs Way east of the River Adur, from St Botolph’s bridge using bridleway 3209 to the A283 will continue to be unavailable for another 21 days from the 28TH OCTOBER 2008. The footpath and bridleway along either side of the River Adur and St Botolphs bridge will remain open for pedestrians and equestrians.

Should you have any queries regarding the closure please contact Becky Lawton, Rights of way Officer  on 01273 777928 or if you have a query about the effect of the notice on persons using the highway, to Jon Perks on 01243 777621.

Drainage Improvements in the Henfield Road, Upper Beeding are due to start in the week commencing 27^th October 2008 and last for up to two weeks.

The scheme is to carry out drainage repairs to assist drainage of excess water from the carriageway and alleviate further flooding problems in the area.

During the course of the works, 2 way traffic lights will be erected on site and will remain in place until the materials have hardened. Generally, these will be erected each morning and taken down at the end of the day to allow rush hour traffic to pass through freely, though there may be occasions when they remain in place whist materials are hardening.

The Highways Agency have announced that there will be no more weekend closures of the A27 at Arundel to complete the work at the railway bridge. Although further road closures had been allowed for the work was carried out in 3 weekends. There is some finishing off work but that will not require road closures.

Great news for travellers using the A27 through Arundel, and for the people of Littlehampton which faced gridlock when the A27 was closed.

Under the title “Working together for a better future” West Sussex County Council adopted its Sustainable Community Strategy for West Sussex 2008 – 2020 at its meeting on October 10^th.

Deputy Leader Dr James Walsh said “ This paper is purely aspirational; it is all words with no promises of specific actions especially on solar heating, energy conservation, and water recycling.  We have had 20-30 years of plans and more plans.  What we need is real action”

Dr Nigel Dennis, Lib Dem spokesman for Highways and Transport, commented: “Cycle expenditure by West Sussex County Council is half the national average and the cycle network is little more than a series of short, disconnected routes, poorly used.”

He added:

“if we are to get people to cut down on car use we must have better integration of public transport services.  Bus timings must link up with trains and we need better through ticketing and more Travelcard schemes.”

We have had strategies for footpaths, cycleways and public transport - and no action. There is a particular need for these extra services in the Bramber Castle area and it is about time we saw some action on this from the County Council!

At a meeting to discuss the B2116 from Woodmancote to Albourne on 2 October, Highways staff rejected a petition from Albourne residents calling a speed limit for the length between Albourne and Woodmancote (speeds had been measured and the Accident and Investigation Branch had also been consulted). Instead proposals were made of a plan to deal specifically with the dangerous parts of the road by signs, surfaces and the cutting back of hedges etc. During the discussion it was, however, agreed that advisory speed limit signs could also be provided where appropriate.

Local Woodmancote Parish Councillor, Crispin Blazeby, had studied that part of the road with the Local Traffic Engineer the day before the meeting, and considered that from Woodmancote residents point of view the Highways staff proposals would be the correct approach.

Crispin and I also learned that resurfacing of the surface is being done outside of the plan and the section on the corner beyond Paynesfield will be done in the near future.

The part of the plan affecting Woodmancote is on the corner immediately beyond the top of Blackstone Lane and involves: -

*Installation of new chevrons of a more striking design,

*A further corner sign to the East with a speed note,

*The corner sign to the North to have a speed note,

*New surface of a red warning nature with “Slow” on it, and,

*Cutting back of woodland/hedge on the inside of the corner.

Consideration of a pathway/bridlepath on the ground was discussed sympathetically and will be looked at separately – it was recognised that equestrians were in particular danger on that corner.

The Woodmancote Parish Action Plan recommends attention to the Twineham Lane junction by “Balloos” – Crispin had looked closely at this and with the Local Traffic Engineer considered the visibility at that point to be OK.

The overall cost of the work would be £23,000 and needed to take place before the end of this financial year.  After 12 months a review would take place to judge the effect of the changes.

It was agreed that the “Woodmancote“ sign by the “Paynesfield” corner would be removed to reduce confusion.  (Postal addresses in this area of Woodmancote are of course “Albourne”).

Steyning Parish Council Highways & Lighting Committee last night agreed that the disadvantages from closing the Lane to vehicular traffic near the Chalk Pit far outweighed the possible safety improvements for pedestrians using the Lane. They could not, therefore, support any request to the County Council to close the Lane.

I had asked the Committee (which had previously expressed concern about the safety of walkers using the Lane) to consider supporting the possible closure of the Lane on behalf of local residents who felt unsafe walking on this narrow road. However other residents had pointed out to me the increased risks for even more people from the increased traffic which would result on other local roads, and at the dangerous Bostal Road/Bramber Road junction where traffic would have to gain access to the alternative Bostal Road to go over the Downs

Steyning Parish Council Highways & Lighting Committee last night agreed to support my campaign on behalf of local residents for urgent action by the County Council to improve pedestrian safety on this access road. The action to install bollards on the exit side of the road is necessary to prevent vehicles using the pavement and putting children at risk when there is traffic congestion.

There was also a suggestion that in the longer term, parking on both sides of the road could be restricted, with parking banned between say 8 and 9am and 3 and 4pm so that the full width of the road would be available at peak times (my only concern about this is that it might lead to higher traffic speeds, but may be road humps could be introduced to stop that). Clearly if a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for this idea was supported by the County and local residents it would then make it possible to remove the proposed bollards on the exit  side of the road if a TRO was implemented.

Work to refurbish the bridge carrying the A27 over Arundel railway station will start later today, Friday 12     September. The work will include resurfacing the road, renewing the waterproofing of the bridge and carrying out brickwork repairs where necessary. The work will take place over 3-5 non-consecutive weekends, during which time the bridge will be closed to traffic.

These weekends are:

8pm Friday 12 September until 6am Monday 15 September

8pm Friday 26 September until 6am Monday 29 September

8pm Friday 10 October until 6am Monday 13 October

8pm Friday 17 October until 6am Monday 20 October

8pm Friday 31 October until 6am Monday 03 November

During these times the A27 will be closed from the Causeway roundabout to the junction with Crossbush Lane. Access to Arundel Railway Station, homes, businesses and local roads will be maintained from each end of this section, but the bridge itself will be closed to traffic.

There will be pedestrian access to the station from the bridge by means of the footbridge, and pedestrians will be able to access the station platforms from the station. For wheelchair users, there will be arrangements to allow escorted passage over the bridge while it is closed. There are also provisions to allow emergency services across the bridge in the event of an emergency.

A fully signed diversion route will be in place during each closure. Westbound traffic on the A27 will be directed off the A27 at the Crossbush interchange onto the A284 heading southbound to join the A259 heading westbound. Traffic will continue along the A259 through Bognor Regis to join the A29 Shripney Road northbound. Traffic will continue northbound on the A29 until the junction with the A27 at Fontwell to continue westbound.Eastbound traffic along the A27 will use the same route in the opposite direction.

I understand that these essential safety works will help keep the bridge in a safe and serviceable condition for the future. The work has been carefully planned to limit delays, and the Highway Agency (which is responsible for the A27) is confident that they will be completed in the allotted time.

Whilst the diversion route has been agreed with the police and the local authority, and has been chosen as it is uses roads which are suitable for the type and volume of traffic that uses the A27, there will clearly be considerable traffic congestion and delays. The Highway Agency is advising drivers to plan their journeys before setting out, and to allow some extra time while the closures are in place. However people should also consider using the railways (unless engineering works are being carried out!).