Public transport problems

URGENT improvements to the public transport system in Worthing are needed if congestion and pollution levels are to drop, according to residents.

Calls for improvements to train and bus services were put forward by residents, tired of the "lack of public transport" in Worthing, at an exhibition last week.

The three-day touring exhibition visiting the Ardington Hotel gave people the chance to view transport proposals for Worthing and the south outlined in the South Coast Multi-Modal Study. About 200 went along.

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The study, by Halcrow, has identified Worthing as a key traffic bottleneck on the coast needing solving urgently. It has reached the conclusion Worthing needs to be given priority treatment.

If the plans go ahead, bottlenecks on the A27 would be removed, seamless interchange facilities installed on railway lines and there would be double the frequency of trains and more frequent buses.

Car park charges could be increased to encourage people to use public transport, there would be more park and ride schemes and education programmes to urge people to not use cars as much.

At the exhibition, Roy Coppard, of Sompting, said: "The study appears to be very much in the early stages and a lot more work has to be done.

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"We need great improvements to public transport. Incentives should be introduced to promote car sharing and reduce commuting by car, particularly people taking children to school.

"A lot of road congestion is caused by people doing the school run. This is easily proved just by following the same route during school term and in the holidays.

"I live in Sompting and to get to Durrington, where I get my car serviced, takes 10 minutes while the children are on holiday and 45 minutes when they are trying to get to school.

"It is clear something has to be done to remove the bottleneck on the A27 between the Warren roundabout and the Offington roundabout. This could be achieved by a tunnel, not a bypass.

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"Railway improvements are needed. We need a slow stop service with more stations and a fast service for through traffic. Therefore, there needs to be somewhere for the fast trains to overtake the others.

"More passengers would use trains if they were cheaper, more frequent and there were more places to get on them. All of this is going to cost a lot of money."

A Worthing resident said: "Until such time as public transport is improved, people are going to cling to their cars. It needs to be accessible to as many people as possible."

A Lancing resident said: "I am disheartened by the proposals. We need to continue tunnelling and get it under ground and need more regular public transport."

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Mark Brown, project director for Halcrow, said: "This is a strategic study covering the whole of the south coast. It does not look at specific local issues.

"It is a 30-year strategic study, but the priority areas will be looked at in a 10 year plan. We hope the strategy will be adopted by the Regional Assembly early next year."

People are invited to give their views on the study by June 21. Write to Halcrow Group Limited, SoCoMMs Study, Vineyard House, 44 Brook green, Hammersmith, London, W6 7BR, go to the website www.socomms.org.uk or email [email protected]

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