Woodgate crossing could be revamped

The Woodgate level crossing on the A29 has been placed among a list of priority sites for action.

The location acts as a physical barrier for motorists travelling between Bognor and the Five Villages and the A27.

The long queues of traffic which build up when the crossing gates are down can stretch back half a mile at peak times.

Campaigners have long called for action. Villagers are fed up with the centre of Woodgate and Aldingbourne jammed with stationary vehicles.

Community representatives in Bognor want improvements to enable easier access to the town for visitors and businesses.

News that the Woodgate site has been singled out for potential action was welcomed by Aldingbourne parish councillor John Penfold.

He said: "I am all for improvements to that crossing. The situation there is absolutely ridiculous at the moment.

"You can wait 10-15 minutes there and the traffic can back up all the way to Eastergate War Memorial on the north side of the crossing.

"I hope they get somewhere with their investigations. But that site will always be a pain until an alternative traffic route is available."

Bognor Regis Civic Society deputy chairman Hugh Coster stated: "We have been calling for a long time for action to tackle that crossing because it is a source of tremendous delays.

"Getting rid of those will benefit Bognor by encouraging visitors to come here and businesses to invest here.

"No business wants to pay money to have goods and people stuck in a queue of traffic."

He said the society knew developers were willing to pay for a Westergate bypass and bridge over the railway in return for being allowed to build 2,000 homes in the area.

The announcement about the possible improvements to the crossing was made by senior county councillor Tex Pemberton.

The county cabinet member for highways and transport, he said the county council and Network Rail would identify short and longer term measures for improvements.

"The overall objective is to mitigate, as far as possible, risks to safety, maintain a reliable and punctual rail service, and reduce causes of congestion on the county's road network," he added.

The next step was for them to jointly analyse the sites, using a Network Rail tool called AXIAT '“ Alternative Crossing Invest-ment Assessment Technique '“ to consider the Network Rail investment timetable, and to set up local project groups and stakeholders to take forward potential solutions at each site.

"So there will of course be public involvement, and its input into the everyday problems will be invaluable to us," Cllr Pemberton added.

Woodgate is among eight crossings seen as priorities for the investigations. The others are: West Worthing; Stockbridge Road, Chichester; Basin Road, Chichester; Drayton, near Chichester; Shoreham East; Roundstone and Littlehaven.

Three footpath crossings '“ Wood-horn, near Chichester; Crawley High Street; and Fishbourne Road East '“ will also be considered.

A total of 40 road level-crossings and 70 footpath crossings in West Sussex will eventually be investigated.