Chichester dutch-style roundabout: local cyclist makes video after feeling 'unsafe'

The roundabout, which prioritises cyclists and pedestrians has been in the works in the West Sussex city for a number of months.

The Chichester roundabout will be the third of the Dutch-style in England. The first of this kind of roundabout opened up in Cambridge back in 2020. The second opened up in Sheffield recently in December 2024.

Now, the £950,000 West Sussex project has drawn to a close. However, there have been growing concerns over the safety of the roundabout itself.

We asked readers for their thoughts on the new project, which saw mixed feelings.

Peter Wilson said: “I approve of the concept of improving the junctions for cyclists as this benefits them coming from and going to various routes. This is preferable to a cycle lane which only helps cyclists going from A to B and back.”

Heather Wilson disapproved of the Dutch-style roundabout, saying: “Waste of money, there was nothing wrong with it whereas the big one for Fishbourne A27 is a nightmare still.”

Neil Roussel sees the reasoning behind the idea, but fears more congestion. He said: “Agreed, (we) need to accommodate cyclists but they’ve constricted the lanes which is ridiculous considering traffic is only going to get busier on an already busy roundabout."

On Thursday, March 6, one anonymous cyclist sent Sussex World a montage of their experience using the roundabout.

The reader did not wish to be named, but he has lived in the area for 30 years.

When speaking to us, the cyclist voiced their worry using the new roundabout.

They said: "I cycle to work and have been doing so for about four years, taking the same route every morning and evening. In all that time, I never had a single near miss while riding on the road.

"But in the two weeks since this Dutch-style roundabout opened, I’ve already experienced around eight near misses. It’s made me much more cautious—I’ve had to slow right down and even steer off a few times to avoid being hit.

"The issue is that motorists just don’t see cyclists in time. The way this roundabout is designed, cyclists are often in a driver’s blind spot. The first time a driver actually sees a cyclist could be when they are already right beside or in front of them, and by then, it’s often too late to react safely.

"As a motorist myself, I can see why it’s confusing. Drivers need to be looking over their shoulder for cyclists, checking for pedestrians on both sides, and watching the cars in front, all at the same time. If you get any one of those decisions wrong, an accident is inevitable.

"A colleague from Holland told me the problem is that this roundabout is too small. Traditional Dutch roundabouts are bigger, giving both cyclists and drivers more time to see each other. Here, cyclists approach at such an angle that drivers almost have to look backwards to spot them in time.

"I’ve even seen cyclists avoiding it altogether—one woman actually got off her bike, crossed as a pedestrian, then got back on after the roundabout. That just shows the level of distrust people have for how safe it is.

"I’ve started wearing a GoPro because of this roundabout. I’ve never felt the need before, but now I feel I need that protection in case something happens.

"With the amount of money spent on this roundabout, you’d expect it to work better. I understand there’s an adjustment period, but if thousands of cars are passing through daily, and every driver has to make multiple split-second decisions, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt."

Watch the video above, and let us know your thoughts on the Dutch-style roundabout.