Roads come first

The recent public consultation on the Lyminster bypass, which encompasses the whole of the area north of the town, shows us the usual inverted way the authorities have in addressing the end product.

Their piecemeal approval of a more-than-generous housing plan before the basic transport system is set in place gives little cause for comfort. More so, because parcels of the plan are to be enacted before a conclusion of the highway network is reached.

The recent exhibition on the bypass plans showed more of what the public are to have than a complete debate on its principles. Generally, the well-groomed ‘experts’ from far afield dictated what must be done to rescue what has proved to be the conundrum of a land-locked new estate. Apparently, the consequences are seen to be detrimental to the needs expressed by the surrounding neighbourhood.

The underlying basic question of funding emerges as a need to rely on a large contribution from Network Rail, and so leads to the inclusive commitment for an end to vehicular movements over the current level crossings. The net result is to be a single carriageway, two lane bridge structure providing the only communication Littlehampton would have to the north.

Remarkably, the option of closing the Lyminster Road level crossing was not put to the public in the exhibition questionnaire. The seriousness of the loss of a valued means of local access and the current trend to introduce new facilities in the Wick and Toddington areas has been apparently ignored by those responsible for the study. A better approach to traffic management techniques is surely appropriate?

Littlehampton town councillor Derek Hulmes

Kingfisher Drive

Wick

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