.jpg) |
| My sketch looking towards Arundel from the south, 25/01/15 |
Further to the above entry -Storms
of Protest Along the A27 (23rd
January 2015), this mostly a list of links, cut-and-pastings of news, comment
and letters of protest from the South Coast Action for Transport (SCATE) and their
Arundel branch (from Facebook and their emailing list).
They begin with the Road
Investment Strategy on the Gov.uk site- feasibility studies, including A27 corridor along the south coast
published by the government 12/03/15.
This was Arundel SCATE's (South Coast
Action for Transport and The Environment) .press release in response, posted by
Kay Wagland of Arundel SCATE on their Facebook page, 16th March. Note
particularly what I’ve highlighted in bold:
New report: A27
road plans built on sand
Arundel
residents reject the recommendations of the newly published report on the A27,
deploring its lack of valid evidence and
outdated thinking.
The
A27 Corridor Feasibility Study, commissioned by the Department for Transport
(DfT), says there is a need to increase road capacity due to the predicted
increase in traffic, but Arundel SCATE points out that the same predictions
were made in the major 2002 A27 SoCoMMS study, which is referenced by this new
report. According to DfT's own figures, whilst the economy has grown
significantly since then, the predicted expansion in traffic hasn't happened.
Traffic levels in West Sussex have actually fallen since 2000. Traffic along
the A27 itself has stayed about level.
Local
businessman and Arundel resident, Simon Gray, is concerned by poor value for
money of proposals. He points out that the traffic problems at Worthing and
Chichester are far worse than those at Arundel and said: 'There is no economic justification for spending the bulk of allocated
funds on a controversially damaging road scheme at Arundel, when a far cheaper
and less intrusive scheme could relieve choke points here.' He added, 'Building such an expensive road so that
traffic can arrive at nearby choke points at Fontwell and Worthing a minute or
so earlier, seems a very poor use of public funds.'
The
report, which was commissioned from US company Parsons Brinkerhoff last year,
was asked to consider road improvements along the A27, and it draws for its
economic justification on a 2013 study, commissioned by Arun District Council
(also undertaken by Parsons Brinkerhoff). Arundel SCATE says the 2013 study is
of extremely poor quality.
The report recommendations have limited
the A27 Arundel improvements to two options, both away from the existing road
and cutting across the Arun Valley.The residents' group wants
to see other options discussed, to include junction and traffic flow improvements
to the current A27. They see the potential for some of these to be more
effective, better value and significantly less damaging than those recommended
by the report. Options considering improvements along or near the existing A27
are rejected by the report arguing that this divides Arundel. However, it
proposes creating a dual carriageway through Worthing, dividing the town to a
far higher degree. There appears to be no analysis of start and end points of
A27 journeys which would create considerable congestion on local roads.
Contrary
to previous claims by elected representatives, the new report admits that building a dual carriageway bypass to
Arundel does mean increased noise and air pollution, along with increased
traffic volume. Other 'adverse impacts' include: wildlife, landscape,
historic environment, carbon emissions and waterways.
Arundel
SCATE Chair and local businesswoman, Sue White, says: 'We all understand
frustrations at peak times at Arundel, but these can be significantly improved
by junction improvements around Crossbush and, of course, there is the new A259
road at Bognor which will impact on traffic in the area. Traffic is fairly free
flowing for much of the time. People in Arun [as elsewhere] need investment in
public transport for the majority who don't have daily access to a car.'
Arundel
SCATE member Jo Kemp, describes the report
as narrow and old fashioned: 'It
doesn't seem to have learnt the lessons of the past, particularly on wasting
money. It is disturbing that this study
was not asked to consider an integrated plan for travel, but is just
concentrating on hugely damaging new roads.
Notes:
Arundel South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment is a group of
Arundel residents concerned at damaging and outdated road proposals along the
A27 and looking for better travel options.
fb: Arundel SCATE www.scate.org.uk
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These are some notes and links I've picked
up via SCATE prior to the publication of the Feasibility Study:
It seems ongoing bias in the local media
and clandestine meetings, apparently with vested interests invited but not the
local community or anyone whose views may differ from the prevailing Roads - Bring Them On! dogma - Campaigners protest outside
"closed" A27 meeting in Eastbourne, Sussex Express, 27th January
http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/county-news/campaigners-protest-outside-closed-a27-meeting-in-eastbourne-1-6546920
Caroline Lucas of the Green Party, too,
have had words to say recently about the proposed Arundel bypass, according to
the Arundel SCATE Facebook page, 10th February:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/559438677502946/ .jpg)
I also had this blog recommended to me - Winter
Oak - Acorn 1. In February, there was a piece about the Arundel
bypass, saying more or less what I've said, though more forthrightly and
concisely:
This is turn, directed me to the aptly
named SCAR - South Coast Against
Roadbuilding
Below are links to some of the press
reports over the winter, emailed SCATE. I haven't read them all, but
many of the headlines imply, if not blatant bias, a strong vibe of Bring It On!.
http://www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/news/letters/threat-to-bypass-1-6507101
http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/more-a27-concern-over-shopwyke-1-6507800
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/fears-potholes-on-a27-could-cause-crashes-1-6502575
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3473/contents/made
http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/need-for-new-road-link-separate-to-existing-a27-1-6481294
http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/train-link-mp-jumping-on-the-tory-bandwagon-1-6490184
http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/letters/a27-the-quest-for-balance-1-6476723
http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/letters/letter-another-delay-to-a27-improvements-1-6480405
http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/a27-funding-comes-not-a-moment-too-soon-1-6471139
http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/consultants-appointed-for-a27-chichester-bypass-scheme
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I've illustrated this piece with some sketches I did walking the stretch of the River Arun between Ford and Arundel: the area where I turbo-charged A27 would impinge on the floodplain. This on a cloudy day in late January, wending my way along a very slippery river bank. Not the easiest of sketching conditions; I was on my feet all the time and it felt cold standing around too long. Nevertheless, I wanted more observational material for paintings in progress, continuing the Storms of Protest theme. My first sketch was at Ford church. It felt very peaceful here, though I was very aware of traffic on the busy Ford road behind me, between the A27 and A259 roads.
In February, I wrote here about a walk I did in
the Farnham area in east Surrey a few weeks later. Around the town
and along the River Wey out to Moor Park, I was very aware of the traffic on
the A31 bypass. Farnham has had a big traffic problem throughout my life, being
a convergence of several busy roads. The building of the A331 Blackwater Valley
link road between the M3 and A31 should have lessened the heavy lorry load in
Farnham town centre, together with quashing arguments for a western bypass
threatening if not Farnham Park itself, its relative peace and quiet.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to have been the case. Heavy traffic, including
HGVs still ploughs through the town centre, presumably using the A287 as a cut
through between the M3 and A3. Someone told me some satnavs allegedly encourage
this.
Hidden Dangers
.JPG) |
| A sign spotted on the way up towards Ingleborough, June 2014 |
During February, too, there were been other worrying reports about potential threats to our countryside. This time not from road building or local pressures on housing stock, but potentially selling off what is now public land. I understand this is partly due to pressures on local authorities to, apparently, sell of public land to the private sector, in the face of ongoing public funding cuts. Even, as the campaign group 38 Degrees claim areas within Britain's National Parks and woodland. A link to the 38 Degrees petition (accessed 27/02/15):
These areas need to be protected. I have a real fear of future threats to not just national parks and woodlands but rights of way. Recently, I came across a new, exclusive development in the rural west Surrey. As well as resenting the exclusiveness and development, I thought it looked visually intrusive. This was on what has long been private land, but what would stop this kind of thing springing up on what we currently know as public space / common land if it was to be sold off in the future?
The Telegraph, 12/02/15 - Seven iconic Lake District beauty spots to be sold off
The Guardian, 17/02/15 - Privatisation of UK woodlands is happening by the backdoor
More of my sketches can be viewed on my Water and Art blog.
Entry date, 25/02/15. Updated 11/03/15, 12/03/15, 17/03/15
