Chairman leads calls for Bognor Regis bypass

Chamber of commerce chairman and president Nick Stuart-Nicolson said the town desperately required a better road network to help its economy.

Top of his list of improvements would be a bridge over the railway line to replace the infamous Woodgate level crossing on the A29.

This creates lengthy delays during the day to cut off Bognor's only direct north-south route from the A27.

An alternative is available by building a bridge to the west and diverting the road around Woodgate to join the current A29 further north.

But it can only be funded through a major development on farmland.

Proposals for a large housing and road scheme there have been submitted as part of Arun District Council's assessment of sites for their future use. They are fiercely opposed by villagers.

However, Mr Stuart Nicolson said changes had to be made for the benefit of Bognor.

"We should be pressing on with this scheme. We should not be listening to the nimbys who don't like the idea.

"Public opinion should count and the people of Bognor want a bypass there.

"The traffic hold-ups at Woodgate are where it's all going wrong to get goods and people in and out of the town.

"We need only be concerned with the A29 as far north as Fontwell. But improving that short stretch of road would do a lot for the prosperity of Bognor.

"The people of Woodgate would benefit as well," he stated. "A bypass would stop them having a huge amount of traffic waiting outside their homes for the crossing all the time."

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