Opposition continues against shared pavements plan at Chichester’s Westgate and Sherborne Road junction

Opposition has grown to shared pavements from a range of different community groups including residents, Chi Cycle and the Chichester District Cycle Forum.

The Westgate Residents’ Association, Chi Cycle and the Chichester District Cycle Forum are all continuing to fight to plans and have instead called for West Sussex County Council to improve the city’s infrastructure to cope with additional housing, such as that at the White House Farm development.

As previously reported by the Observer, the county council has put a Traffic Regulation Order in place to allow a series of pedestrian crossings and road humps to be installed in Chichester, as well as the shared cycle and pedestrian paths around the Sherborne Road and Westgate junction despite local opposition and fears the shared paths were ‘substandard’. The work is due to take place later this year.

Community groups are continuing to voice their opposition and are called for the county council to find better ways to improve the city’s transport network and promote safe green travel.

Local residents supported improved crossing points, but worry that the principle of shared paths at this roundabout sets a precedent that could be used when the route of the White House Farm access road is published, linking this new 1,600-home housing development with the city centre.

Sarah Quail, City Councillor and chair of Westgate Residents’ Association said: “Westgate residents are really concerned about the speed and volume of traffic along Westgate.

“As well as being a national cycle route, Westgate is a key walking route to and from the city and we are working hard to keep this a safe and pleasant route for people on foot and on bicycles.

Westgate is not a short cut into town and through traffic – rat-runners – is not welcome.

“Cyclists on pavements pose a real danger to pedestrians and whilst we welcome new crossings at the Sherborne Road/Westgate roundabout, the number of cars, bikes, elderly residents, and Bishop Luffa schoolchildren who converge on this roundabout is a real concern for us. We shall continue to press for reducing through traffic and enforcing speed limits as well as forward-looking plans which enhance safe, segregated on-road cycling that leaves pavements for people on foot!”

Ian Swann, the Chair of the Chichester and District Cycle Forum, said: ”(I’m) deeply disappointed that concerns raised at the Whitehouse Farm Phase 1 consultation meetings were ignored and that no safe, desirable and usable cycle provision on-road has been included.  

“It feels that this scheme has been pushed through to form the basis of a pending junction for a new access road, and the design does not follow the government’s ‘Gear Change’ guidance nor LTN1/20 guidelines.  

“A fundamental redesign of the whole access road (which will function as a western relief road / de facto bypass) is probably required unless appropriate investment is made in this critical junction serving two schools and Chichester College as well as much active commuting and leisure access to and from the town.

“WSCC have acknowledged that there is insufficient width for shared pathways at certain points of the roundabout but in their response to the objections, noted that they are not bound to comply with government guidance.”

The founder of national walking and cycling body Sustrans, John Grimshaw OBE, wrote to ChiCycle expressing his dismay at the plans.

He said: “It is a sad commentary, in this year of COP26, that the Council cannot bring themselves to extend the popular Centurion Way right through to the City Centre all to the same high quality traffic free standard – space should be taken from the highway so that the balance is shifted from cars to sustainable transport - bikes in this flat City.

ChiCycle campaigner, Mark Record, had instructed solicitors to seek a judicial review of the proposals but this has now been dropped as a result of the costs.

A Freedom of Information request by ChiCycle revealed, it said, the detailed objections raised in the consultation and the basis for judicial review was that the plans ignored government guidance and that there had been insufficient consultation with disability groups.

Mr Record said: “I am obviously disappointed that I have not been able to take this judicial review application forward to force WSCC to take account of national guidelines that provide design standards for safe, segregated cycle paths and that advise against mixing pedestrians and cyclists in urban areas.

“In my opinion, the reason for the increase in motor traffic is due to an outdated local authority attitude that – instead of preserving or improving ‘green’ infrastructure for existing and new residents alike – new housing must funnel its new traffic through existing residential areas.

“To do this, they are essentially forcing pedestrians and cyclists to get out of the way and share inadequate pavement areas, even though this goes against all national guidance.

Julia Smith (local Westgate resident and member of Westgate Residents’ Association Committee) added: “There is real concern about the principle of shared pavements for pedestrians and cyclists in urban areas - the government guidance is there for good reason yet is being ignored, and creating new shared pavements on a busy junction is just an accident waiting to happen.

“It would be much better to invest properly and invest once in good on-road safe cycling infrastructure, especially given Westgate is a key access walking and cycling route to the city and the numbers of pupils, cyclists, traffic and pedestrians that already converge on that roundabout at certain times is frightening.”

West Sussex County Council have been approached for comment.