A West Sussex scheme to build a 2km-long cycleway/walkway route has been approved to connect Findon Valley with the South Downs National Park gateway of Findon Village.
Proposals for an A24 Findon Valley to Findon Village shared path were the subject of public engagement in the summer, with 685 responses received.
Local MPs, County Councillors, Arun District Councillors and Worthing Borough Councillors discussed the results at a meeting in November and an amended route was proposed, diverting from the A24 behind the Findon Valley shops on-carriageway via May Tree Avenue and Lime Tree Avenue. A significant stretch of the route will still be off-carriageway and on the eastern side of the A24, with the rest on quiet, residential roads.
Joy Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, has now approved the revised scheme, subject to the council’s usual call-in period.
Ms Dennis said: “This 2km-long route will provide a link for those wanting to opt for a more active way of travelling to see one of the county’s stunning attractions – the South Downs: there will be a link for pedestrians and people on bikes to the Cissbury Ring car park off Storrington Rise.
“The new route also has the advantage of linking in with an existing cycleway south of the Findon Valley shops, towards the A27 and a signed route into Worthing town centre.”
The cycleway/walkway will be paid for with money from a Government grant for Active Travel projects. It will be constructed during the financial year 2022/23 and is part of the County Council’s Active Travel improvement proposals, which aim to:
- make walking and cycling to work, education and leisure activities more attractive
- improve health and wellbeing by offering eco-friendly travel choices
- broaden travel choices by offering safer, quick and easy walking and cycling options, particularly for short journeys
- support zero emission journeys and reduce reliance on car travel.
The go-ahead for the cycleway/walkway is another boost for the highway network in the Findon area, with work recently completed to reduce a 50mph speed limit to 40mph on stretches of the A24 Findon Road and Findon Bypass to improve road safety.
