Major changes planned outside Three Bridges Railway Station and Haslett Avenue East

An application for the work, which also includes remodelling the station forecourt and adding a new access for pedestrians and cyclists on Station Hill near platform five, will be considered by Crawley Borough Council’s planning committee on Tuesday (March 7).

The plans have been in the pipeline for a number of years, being worked on with the county council’s Major Project team.

If approved, the work will also see the westbound section of Haslett Avenue East under the railway bridge reduced from three lanes to two to allow for the creation of a shared footpath/cycleway linked to the one on Station Hill.

An upgraded ‘bus hub’ is proposed at the existing westbound stop on Haslett Avenue East, incorporating a large shelter with Wi-Fi, charging points and enhanced informationscreens.

The current layout at the station has been described in the past as ‘a dog’s dinner’, with the mixture of pedestrians, cyclists, cars, buses and taxis in the same space ‘a recipe for disaster’.

But some of the proposed changes have not gone down well with some residents, especially the removal of the right-turn onto Haslett Avenue East.

Without it, anyone wanting to head west will either have to drive down to the Paymaster General roundabout 1.5 miles away or nip down one of the side roads and find a place to turn.

One objector said the lack of a right-turn would cause ‘significant diversions for those parking or using taxis leaving the station’.

They added: “This will cause additional taxi charges to residents east of the station.

“The council, by pushing this scheme at all costs [is] actively discriminating against residents east of the station and especially those on fixed incomes and/or with mobility issues.”

Others were far more positive about the plans, with the council receiving 18 letters of support.

One said there was ‘a desperate need’ to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, adding that they would certainly use the new Station Hill entrance.

They said: “The spaghetti-like congestion with cabs, cars, pedestrians and cyclists needs to be untangled with good planning.”

The planning meeting will be held at the new Town Hall, starting at 7.30pm.