Low emission zone to be trialled in Storrington

The 12-month trial is being carried out by Siemens and will begin at the end of May.

Four ‘Automatic Number Plate Recognition’ cameras will be positioned at locations on Pulborough Road, Amberley Road, Washington Road, and School Hill.

The cameras will count and categorise vehicles by size (e.g. cars, buses, trucks etc.) and will identify their emission levels by looking at the vehicle registration dates.

There will be no enforcement or restriction of vehicles during the trial period, and all vehicle data captured by the cameras will be encrypted and will not be used for any other purpose other than the trial.

Data from the trial will be used to find out the air quality benefits of a number of possible restrictions, including: restrictions on certain vehicle types and possible time-limited restrictions on specified vehicles e.g. during peak traffic periods and necessary vehicle exemption criteria.

Sue Rogers (Con, Steyning), Horsham District Council’s cabinet member for a safer and healthier district and chair of the Storrington Air Quality Action Plan Steering Group, said: “We believe that this Low Emission Zone trial is a very positive step towards achieving the objective of reducing the air pollution in Storrington and hope that the community as a whole will support this important initiative.”

To find out more about the trial and to talk directly to those involved, visit one of three drop-in sessions being held on the following dates:

- Friday May 16 from 10am to 4pm at Villerest, Storrington (on the corner of Old Mill Drive and High Street)

- Friday May 16 from 6pm to 9pm at The Parish Hall, Thakeham, Storrington

- Saturday May 24 from 10am to 4pm at Mulberry House Car Park, Storrington

For more information about the trial, contact Horsham District Council by emailing this address or by calling 01403 215292.