WSCC Highways meeting

Published: 07 November 2023

Highways improvements in Westbourne 

Earlier this year, the Parish Council consulted with residents on proposed improvements to Whitechimney Row and the one-way section of The Square. We received many responses from residents which were discussed by the Council in March 2023 and can be found in full here. 

Due to the strength of feedback received, members of the Parish Council held a meeting with a senior highways officer from West Sussex County Council on 29 September who came to visit Westbourne to discuss potential solutions.

A full summary of the meeting can be found here. In brief, the following was discussed:

HGVs

Many HGVs, apart from those delivering to local businesses, travel through Westbourne as a result of their Sat Nav systems. It is virtually impossible to ban HGVs from using the highway, but it may be possible to install 'road not suitable' signs at the entrances to the village to discourage through traffic. However, in order to do this, we need to provide the County Council with video and photo evidence. We have already gathered some but should you have any yourself, please email them to clerk@westbourne-pc.gov.uk

Whitechimney Row

The issues here are more challenging, as illustrated by the very diverse solutions put forward by residents in the recent consultation. No decision has been made as yet but discussions continue with the County Council. They advised that many of the possible solutions put forward by the Parish Council would in turn create new problems thus not addressing the issues that this is a very narrow and historic road.  

One-way section of The Square

The Parish Council has submitted a community highways scheme application to the County Council to request that the pavement is widened to accommodate a number of bollards to prevent parking on the pavement, prevent vehicles from blocking the road and prevent damage to properties. The Parish Council will communicate the outcome of the application in due course.

Aldsworth 

Aldsworth, especially Aldsworth Bridge, has been an accident black spot for years and the hope is that, in addition to the speed limit being reduced from 40mph to 30mph, village gateways and horse rider warning signs will soon be installed. The Parish Council continues to work on this.

Speed 

Speed on the periphery of Westbourne is also an issue and plans are afoot to reduce the speed limit on Old Farm Lane and Foxbury Lane to 40mph, and to extend the 20mph speed limit to the whole of Whitechimney Row.  

As you can see, working with the County Council, we are doing all we can to address highways issues in the Parish. However, there are a number of financial and strategic constraints which mean that we can't always get what we want when we want it.