Arundel Bypass deferral: Support group 'remain optimistic, albeit disappointed'; campaign group says 'scheme should be cancelled completely'

The proposed work at Crossbush has been a contentious issue. It is part of a wider set of schemes for the A27 Bypass – plans for which were changed considerably late last year – and is intended to allow for better traffic flow, increased capacity and reduced congestion in the area. This is all to ensure the junction is able to handle anticipated growth in traffic volumes.

The works have been pushed back by two years to at least 2025, the government announced on Thursday, March 9. The news has been hailed as a ‘triumph’ for residents of surrounding villages.

In a written ministerial statement, transport secretary Mark Harper said the delay was intended to provide the extra time needed to accommodate environmental design changes. He assured residents the scheme is set to continue nonetheless.

Derek Waller, vice-chairman of OneArundel, a bypass support group, said: “The slippage is not unexpected – it’s just an acceptance of financial reality as the final environmental issues are addressed and the necessary design changes worked out.

"We remain optimistic, albeit disappointed.”

Mr Waller said the government and National Highways have ‘obviously got some design changes to do’, adding: “They had a supplementary consultation last year but we haven’t seen the responses to that yet.

“There was an inevitability [it would be delayed]. There are environmental implications for the valley and National Highways have got to take them into sensible account.

“We just need to wait for National Highways to make next move. They’ve talked about environmental issues and design changes, so one would hope they will give us a bit more information.

"I don’t want to take a pessimistic view. It’s understandable the money won’t be spent in this particular RIS so the right thing to do is to put it into RIS 3.”

The government said the A27 Arundel Bypass faces a ‘range of challenges’, including environmental considerations and ongoing design changes, and so will be developed in RIS 3 (covering 2025-2030) to ‘allow time to ensure stakeholders’ views are fully considered’.

The schemes earmarked for RIS3 (2025-30) will continue to be developed and considered for inclusion within RIS 4, which will run from 2030-2035, the government said.

This extra time will ‘help ensure better planned and efficient schemes’ can be ‘deployed more effectively’.

Transport secretary Mark Harper said: "We know the power of transport as an engine for sustainable economic growth. That’s why – even in this tough economic climate – this government sees transport investment as a down payment on the country’s future and is committing £20 billion over each of the next two years to improve the UK’s transport network.

“But we can’t ignore the current realities. Putin’s war in Ukraine has hiked up inflation, sending supply chain costs rocketing. The responsible decisions I’ve outlined today will ensure we balance the budget at the same time as investing record sums in our transport network to help halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce debt.”

CPRE Sussex, meanwhile ‘welcomes this change of heart’. That’s according to Paul Steedman, the director of the campaign group which works to ‘enhance, promote and protect our countryside’.

He added: "We're pleased to see that environmental issues and local concerns are being noted by decision-makers. We hope this marks the beginning of the end for the current ill-considered scheme and a return to the drawing board.

"What Sussex really needs is a transport approach that protects the countryside and puts climate considerations at its heart."

People in Walberton, Fontwell, Binsted and Tortington – the four villages threatened by the proposed Arundel Bypass Grey route – are also ‘feeling relieved’.

“It’s a step forward but more is needed in the face of the climate crisis,” said Kay Wagland, of Arundel SCATE.

"Mark Harper also mentioned reviewing funding for active travel – that would be entirely the wrong thing to do. We need much more investment in walking, cycling and buses, instead of a resurrection of this scheme after two years – especially as three quarters of the traffic at Arundel is going less than nine miles.”

Emma Tristram, of the Arundel Bypass Neighbourhood Committee, said this is a ‘temporary reprieve’ for ‘much-loved countryside which the bypass would have divided’ and for the ‘rich wildlife habitats and classic setting of Arundel’.

“But it does not go far enough, and the future isn’t clear,” she said. “Will National Highways still send in their planning application, and will the proposed public inquiry into the Grey route still go ahead this summer?

"It’s great news that the historic village of Binsted is not to be split in two by a bypass any time soon. In Binsted, the grey route would have passed 100m from our Grade 2 star listed, 12th century church, and ruined the setting of nine listed buildings and a much loved area of countryside.

"Our dark skies on the edge of the National Park would have disappeared. Several houses in Binsted have already been bought by National Highways – two because of the previous preferred route – which has badly affected our cohesive community.

"The scheme should be cancelled completely, and Net Zero policies properly applied which means road building should be restricted to schemes that don’t increase traffic or carbon emissions.”

The grey route features new bridges spanning the River Arun, over the Arun Valley Railway and over Binsted Rife, as well as a new junction at Crossbush, 'finally putting an end' to the ‘road to nowhere’ junction.

Under the plans, around 8km (4.9 miles) of new dual carriageway will be created to the south of the existing A27, from Crossbush to Fontwell roundabout. Around 6.6km (4.1 miles) of the existing A27 will be 'de-trunked'.

National Highways said the route will help to 'reduce journey times, improve reliability and make the road safer'.