Buses diverted after emergency road closure near Chichester
Bus services between Chichester and The Witterings have been disrupted following an emergency road closure, with Stagecoach introducing temporary travel arrangements while urgent repairs are carried out.
The emergency closure of Chichester Road has disrupted bus services already diverted because of roadworks on Stockbridge Road, leaving passengers facing changes to their journeys.
The closure began on Monday, October 26, with repairs scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. The road is expected to remain shut for around 48 hours, according to the report.
The B2201 had been serving as a diversion route for Stagecoach Services 52 and 53, which connect Chichester with The Witterings.
The buses were already operating on diverted routes because of ongoing work on Stockbridge Road, where gas network operator SGN is replacing an ageing gas main.
The additional closure has created further difficulties for passengers travelling between Chichester and the villages.
A Stagecoach spokesperson said increasing traffic volumes during the evening peak had raised concerns about using Green Lane for larger vehicles.
The spokesperson said: “Urgent highway repairs to address pothole damage have resulted in the emergency closure of the B2201 Chichester Road, which was the diversion road for Services 52 & 53 to access the Witterings.
“As traffic volumes increase during the evening peak period, there are growing safety concerns regarding the suitability of Green Lane for large vehicles.
“Unfortunately, many of the rural roads between Hunston and The Witterings are not suitable for large vehicles, which means there are no suitable or safe alternatives.
“As a result, we will run an emergency bus service from Stockbridge (Co-Op store) to & from The Witterings. Departures from The Co-op will be at 30 mins past each hour. All journeys will run as a Service 53. The last bus departure from the Co-Op will be 2330. These arrangements will be in place until the B2201 reopens or a safe and viable route can be identified. Customers wishing to travelling to & from Chichester will need to walk to & from Stockbridge Road (Co-Op store).
“We apologise for the disruption and appreciate your patience while we work to find a safe solution. However, the safety of our staff and customers remains our top priority. Further updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.”
The temporary service will operate between the Co-op store at Stockbridge and The Witterings, with all journeys running as Service 53.
Buses will depart from the Co-op at 30 minutes past each hour, with the final departure scheduled for 11.30pm.
Passengers travelling to or from Chichester will need to walk to or from the Co-op store on Stockbridge Road.
The arrangements will remain in place until the B2201 reopens or Stagecoach identifies a safe and viable alternative route.