Chichester’s Northgate Gyratory ‘faulty’ – and bold cycling solutions needed

Another serious accident in Chichester. Another councillor hit. Shocking. And yet proposals for new cycle routes are woeful. Read more here

Take the route from Chichester to Emsworth. A feasibility study was undertaken and funding is promised from Highways England.

Sadly though the option preferred is for a scheme that will cost millions and I doubt will deliver safe cycling.

It consists of a widened pavement with cyclists sharing with pedestrians.

This will discourage walking, particularly amongst the infirm.

Many cyclists will ignore it and be on an unsafe road.

Cyclists that attempt to use the pavement path will have to give way at each access and side road.

These schemes fail to understand certain critical issues.

Firstly, we have to design infrastructure that understands people’s behaviour.

A good starting point is to research what journeys people do and by which mode of transport.

Then one can see what will change their choice from using a car to either cycling or walking.

The Chemroute project, which began seven years ago, carried out public meetings and established clearly that only with a direct, continuous and separated cycle track will we be able to safely encourage cycling between Chichester and Emsworth.

The Northgate Gyratory, which I opposed when chairman of the Chichester Cycle Forum, is faulty because it encourages cycling without providing safety. It needs a radical rethink and I would suggest it stops being a gyratory and the part by North Street becomes pedestrian and cycle priority, allowing only access for motor vehicles.

This may seem very radical but it really is not.

Likewise, we need to think boldly about the route west from the Cross through Westgate and out to Emsworth.

Roundabouts may need to be replaced with signal crossings and speed limits will need adjusting.

It is an uphill battle with the county council and Highways England but great efforts are being made by the community to ensure money is not wasted again and that Chichester can create a clean, healthy environment where motorists, cyclists and pedestrians can safely co-exist.