Lorry survey to fight Petworth congestion nightmare

Chairman of the town council Chris Kemp told fellow members at a full council meeting last night (Thursday, January 12) the survey was discussed when he met West Sussex County Council’s new area highways manager Chris Dye: “As long as we have sound information and a sensible proposal he is very happy to help with the lorry situation,” he reported.

“But we have to demonstrate we have a serious problem and we have to do it in a manner that works for the county council.”

He said he had obtained a price for the survey which came in at a costly £12,000: “I think we have to find another company to do it for less because the county council will probably not accept the findings of a bunch of councillors standing on the site of the road.”

There were, he said, nine entrances to the town to monitor: “We have to track them and record what they are doing. The easiest way to do that is by number plate recognition and that is why it is so expensive.”

Mr Kemp said if the survey findings demonstrated three per cent of lorries, supposed to use the lorry route, actually came through the town, the county council would take action.

The town council has also agreed to pay its traffic consultants £2,500 for a draft ‘preferred option’ plan for improvements to the Market Square and Golden Square.

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