A23 work being done sooner

The safety improvements are being made as part of the £77m A23 Handcross to Warninglid scheme, which involves widening the road in both directions, as well as the work at the junction to provide better access.

Work is ongoing on the northbound exit slip road, which has been closed since July, and from Monday September 9, the northbound entry slip road will be closed while it too is reconstructed. The entry slip road work had been due to start in Winter.

Chris Bacon, Highways Agency Project Manager said; “Work on this major improvement is progressing well, and in the Handcross area is ahead of schedule.

“With the recent good weather we’ve identified an opportunity to bring forward the planned closure of the northbound entry slip road, which means we’ll be able to rebuild and reopen it again before Christmas.

“We are realigning the slip roads to provide better and safer access to and from the A23, and as a result will be rebuilding the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) weighbridge site.

“We will continue to monitor the traffic flows on the local roads and have planned the diversion routes to minimise disruption for local residents.”

The slip road will close in the early hours in the morning of Monday September 9 and is due to be re-opened by Christmas. It had been originally planned to close in November and reopen in February 2014.

A fully signed diversion route will be in place to the M23 junction 11 roundabout at Pease Pottage via the B2114.

The northbound exit slip road, which closed at the beginning of July, will re-open as planned when the northbound A23 traffic is moved back onto the northbound carriageway in February 2014.