Highways England is to launch a six-week public engagement for people to have their say on new plans for a cycle and walking route to be created on the south coast to link Chichester with Emsworth in West Sussex.
The six-mile long off-road route will the two areas along the A259. The route which is currently part of the National Cycle Network route 2 will link into the Centurion Way (former railway conversion) and other local routes on the Manhood peninsula towards Chichester.
The improvement will also link several schools, and St. Richard’s hospital and will enable more people to leave their cars at home and cycle or walk safely to work or school, helping to improve air quality in the area. The Chichester to Emsworth scheme is being developed by Highways England in partnership with West Sussex County Council.
The consultation will run from Thursday 22 July until Thursday 9 September and will provide full details of the route, planned work and timelines. A virtual exhibition will be available where people can learn more about the changes, study plans and drawings, and submit comments.
Highways England project manager Adriana Chirovici said: “We care about everyone who uses the road network and improved cycling opportunities have obvious benefits for health, safety and the wider environment. I urge anyone who cycles in the area or is interested in the scheme to visit our virtual exhibition to find out more about the proposals and feedback their thoughts to us. There are also various ways they can engage the team directly to ask questions or just find out more.”
Joy Dennis, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “Improving provision for pedestrians and cyclists is a priority for this council. We know this route is well used by cycle commuters and expect that usage to increase with local developments, so it’s vital to gauge opinion on these proposals. I want to encourage people to have their say through Highways England’s consultation.”
As well as the virtual exhibition, there will also be two online webinars held on Microsoft Teams where a presentation will be given followed by questions from attendees. Places will be limited to ensure everyone attending can ask any questions they may have. Places will be issued on a first come, first served basis.
