Approval looms for Bognor seafront cycle route

Councillors are next week expected to make the first approval towards the creation of a shared-use promenade cycle route.

This will stretch for about half a mile between Outram Road in Felpham and Bognor's Gloucester Road in front of Butlins.

It should be created in the next few months if all the required backing is given. A 25,000 budget has been set aside by West Sussex County Council to pay for the signs and paving needed to create the route.

County council Andy Ekinsmyth, the council's divisional manager for transport, says in a report for councillors: "The biggest part of this scheme proposal consists of signs. These are to identify which section of the promenade cyclists are permitted to use as well as warning pedestrians and cyclists of potential hazards on the route.

"The signs used in this scheme are designed to inform all users of each other's presence and to maximise safety without creating confusion and clutter."

The first stage of approving the route is set to take place among the county council members at the Joint Western Arun Area Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 21.

If this backing is given, Arun's councillor in charge of environmental policies, Paul Wotherspoon, will be asked to give the final go-ahead.

Once the route has been created, it will be reviewed by the area committee at the end of this year to see how it is working.

Cyclists have been banned all along Bognor promenade by a set of Arun's byelaws which date from 1986.

A new byelaw for the cycling route would overcome this. The issue of allowing cyclists on to the promenade has become more controversial in recent years.

A constant stream of bicycles can be seen using the beachside route between Aldwick and Felpham in spite of 'no cycling' signs.

Cyclists argue they deserve safer conditions than the roads but walkers complain they are at risk from the pedallers speeding past them.

The Outram Road-Gloucester Road section has been chosen for the cycle path because of its width. Even at its narrowest point, where the Longbrook path joins the promenade, it is 4.5m across to make it well over the recommended national minimum of 3m.

There are no plans to extend the permitted cycling area beyond the Gloucester Road launching ramp because the promenade narrows and this is compounded by the presence of concessions.

The boundaries of the route will be highlighted by buff corduroy paving with mini-bollards.

The shared use scheme has arisen after the initial idea of segregated cycling and walking lanes to regulate the situation was shown to be impractical.

Placing cyclists on the promenade's southern half could see clashes between bathers leaving the beach and problems with shingle washed up by storms.

Putting them on the northern section would mean having to move items such as benches.

Other resorts such as Bournemouth and Poole have shared use routes.

There will be no speed limit on the cyclists because this is seen as impractical and unenforceable.

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