Anger and confusion over Broadbridge Heath road

Broadbridge Way had been made into a bus-only route but many drivers are ignoring no-car signs and now face fines following the installation of cameras.

However, some say the signs are inadequate and need to be improved. One driver – Chris Holmes – says that he was recently driving to the local Co-op in Broadbridge Way on a ‘dark and rainy night’ and found the road layout confusing.

“I drove from the south along what used to be the bypass before the new road was built,” he said. “However, it wasn’t obvious if I should enter the road with the ‘No through road’ sign in order to park – I assumed I shouldn’t – I then carried on and entered a car park. I still don’t know which road I should have taken.”

He said he eventually drove on until he was outside the Co-op. “I then went over a low sleeping policeman and noticed that I could now drive out onto the north side of the road.”

He said it was only when he returned a few days later that he realised he had passed ‘No Entry’ signs going into and out of the Co-op section of the car park.

Many local residents maintain that the road should never have been closed off to cars and have branded the layout ‘a joke’ and ‘utterly dangerous.’

Some have taken to the West Sussex County Times’ Facebook page to comment on the issue.

Robert Fitzgerald queried: “Why send people miles out the way when it's not necessary? This should never have been closed off in the first place.”

Josh Packham said: “Firstly who created this joke of a through road, secondly why can’t cars use the road? It’s better to use that then go through built up areas risking accidents.”

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Lucy Pitts added:”The dumbest road design in the history of road design.”

West Sussex County Council said earlier this month that the new road system had been introduced to ‘support bus travel as a sustainable mode of transport.’

It said that, up until now, car drivers who flouted the bus-only signs had been given warnings but said that fines would now be imposed.