A259 wish list at the start of a long road to better journeys

But it could be many years before all the enhancements are completed, with a timetable stretching to 2028.

And the schemes remain nothing more than a wish list at present, with no status on West Sussex County Council’s future priorities for road improvements, the Joint Eastern Arun Area Committee, of county, Arun, town and parish councillors, heard on Thursday (April 21).

However, the study setting out the proposals, by consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff, was welcomed by the committee at the first step towards long-term solutions for the frequently snarled-up east-west road.

It covers several miles of the A259, from the Tesco roundabout at Littlehampton in the west, to Goring Crossways in the east.

Committee members agreed that the roundabout at the southern end of the Angmering bypass should be the main priority for early improvements, with widening of the northbound and southbound entry arms onto the A259 and changes to the size of the roundabout to increase its capacity.

New dual carriageway sections of the A259 are recommended by the consultants along the Roundstone bypass, between the B2140 Station Road and the Angmering bypass, and along the eastern section of Worthing Road, Littlehampton, between the Body Shop roundabout and the proposed junction with the Fitzalan link road.

The “dualling” would be the most expensive part of the overall package, costing an estimated total of £9.5m.

Further improvements are suggested for roundabouts at Lyminster Road, Wick, at the Tesco roundabout, at the Body Shop roundabout and at Goring Crossways, where signal controls are suggested for the roundabout on the approaches from the west, south and east, although not from Titnore Lane.

Parsons Brinckerhoff highlighted Goring Crossways as a priority, but the committee agreed it could not agree with that, as the junction was outside the east Arun area.

The committee’s views will be reported to the county council cabinet member for highways and transport and the study will become a vital part of future infrastructure planning by the committee.