ASDA junction is given green light

CONTROVERSIAL traffic lights for the new ASDA superstore now being built on the A259 on the Angmering/Ferring border are set to be given the green light by the end of this week.

West Sussex County Council said its hands were tied in allowing the new junction to go ahead, in spite of overwhelming opposition from Arun, Ferring’s parish council and many villagers.

There was no consultation with the councils, local councillors or residents over the traffic lights, which will allow eastbound traffic to turn off the A259 into the former Country Fayre site, where the new store is under construction, as well as controlling vehicles arriving at and leaving the car park.

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Opponents claim the new lights will lead to increased congestion on the already busy A259 at peak times.

Arun and county councillor Dr James Walsh, chairman of a group of county councillors which discusses highway matters in east Arun, said the county council had acknowledged it was at fault in not consulting with the area’s district, county and parish councillors before reaching the point where it had to sign the agreement for the traffic lights.

Now the junction was about to be approved, two things needed to be done “as a matter of urgency” – creating a new lane to filter traffic off to East Preston at the junction with the Angmering bypass, and reinstating the westbound single carriageway section from the Goring roundabout to a dual carriageway, while maintaining the 50 miles per hour limit.

Dr Walsh added that the county council had agreed that there should be a study on issues affecting the whole length of the A259, from the Goring roundabout to the River Arun at Littlehampton, and taking into account the numerous developments including housing and supermarket proposals.

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Chairman of Ferring Parish Council, Carole Robertson, said of the ASDA junction: “I feel very strongly that this part of the planning application has been sneaked under the radar.

“It will be a nightmare for Ferring residents, but I think what has most struck a nerve with us is the complete lack of democratic process.”

West Sussex County Council said its hands were tied in the decision.

A spokesman said: “It has been made clear to us that the county council cannot refuse to enter into a legal agreement for this matter on the grounds of community objection. Once a valid planning permission is granted, it becomes a technical exercise to assess whether the planned access is acceptable in highway safety and design terms.

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“The county council, therefore, will now work to finalise and sign the legal agreement and we expect that process to conclude by the end of this week.”

ASDA said the traffic lights were proposed through a section 278 highways agreement, a technical procedure which is not open to public consultation.

A spokesman said: “The planning application was subject to this section 278, and cannot be amended. “The lights are set to be installed in due course.”