How difficult are you finding it to drive in and out of Worthing town centre during the rush hours?
The main arteries in Worthing are the A24 and A259 – i.e., Broadwater Road, Chapel Road, Richmond Road, North Street, High Street and Brighton Road.
These are the roads that the road engineers should make as free flowing as possible to get cars, b
uses and other traffic in and out of town with as little difficulty as possible.
Have they done that? Have they hell!
Over recent years the highways "experts" at county hall have done their level best to create as many obstacles in the way of free-flowing traffic on the main roads in and out of Worthing as they can!
Let's just look at the minefield journey from my office in Chatsworth Road to Broadwater.
Firstly, lane markings at the eastern end of Chatsworth Road give priority to vehicles coming out of the High Street car park, which backs up traffic on the roadway.
The next obstacle is a bus stop in High Street, and if a driver behind hasn't realised soon enough a bus has stopped at a bus stop, everyone has to wait until the bus has picked up all its passengers. Why there couldn't be a bus lay-by there, goodness knows.
Next problem, the pedestrian lights. These used to be ones which flashed amber after a few seconds, but now they stay red for ages after the pedestrian has crossed. More delays.
Next problem, the Lyndhurst Road/High Street roundabout. Motorists in the know take a rat-run off Brighton Road and use Lyndhurst Road, which gives them priority at the roundabout. More delays on the A259.
Next hold-up? The pedestrian lights outside Lidl. Same silly nonsense as before, endless delays long after pedestrians have crossed.
There's another delay at the third set of pedestrian lights in Chapel Road, which has the effect of backing up traffic all the way along Chapel Road and High Street/North Street.
Next problem – the roundabout in Chapel Road/Teville Road. The pedestrian lights in Teville Road are again the non-flashing amber variety which holds up traffic blocking the roundabout, as do the lights at Station Approach, with a long pedestrian phase.
Finally there's the Chapel Road/Newland Road roundabout. Again, people in the know rat-run from Brighton Road through residential streets to the roundabout where they gain priority.
Memo to soppy highways engineers. Go back to basics: Make the main arteries as free-flowing as possible, this will ease traffic flow on side roads, too, and avoid rat runs.
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