Pedestrianisation plans for Pier Road, Littlehampton

BOLD plans to pedestrianise a section of Pier Road were debated during a special regeneration subcommittee meeting.

As part of the £1million redevelopment of the East Bank walkway, in Littlehampton, chair of the committee, councillor Norman Dingemans, urged members and officers to consider creating a continental-style, pedestrian-only section in Pier Road, from Clifton Road to South Terrace.

Mr Dingemans said: “My opinion is that we should close it permanently. I would like to see it as a pedestrian through-route.

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“If we can close it we can then allow the shops to put their own tables and chairs outside.”

Arun District Council leader Gill Brown, who supported the idea, added: “We have got to support the pedestrianisation of Pier Road.

“We have been talking about it for years and years, with county council.

“We need our local county councillors to stand up and be accounted.”

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The potential pedestrianisation, if followed through, would echo nearby Shoreham’s design, in East Street.

During the meeting, held at the Arun Civic Centre, in Maltravers Road, councillor Ricky Bower noted that the potential alteration of the road, to a pedestrian-only one, would have to be discussed with West Sussex County Council.

Mr Bower said: “So many times before we have asked county council to do something about the road.

“But it is so, so laborious to get something done. We have got to get on with it.”

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He added that there was certainly potential in a pedestrian-only zone in the road.

However, Bognor Regis councillor, Trevor Bence, warned the committee not to go down the “half-way house road” of simply extending the paving area, which similar schemes in Bognor have done.

He said: “Please don’t go down the half-way house road.

“It doesn’t work in London Road. It’s a disaster.

“Some of the passing traffic is within feet of people sitting down in that road.”

During the session, it was decided that this potential plan would be discussed at a meeting with representatives from West Sussex County Councilk.

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The council has agreed to spend up to £1million enhancing the Environment Agency’s £13million flood defences scheme on the lower East Bank of the River Arun.

Work on the planned redevelopment is due to start in autumn, this year.