Yet again the A27 is in the news. This week national Highways came out with the results of its consultation into the 3 main ‘tweaking’ proposals for dealing with key junctions between the Offington roundabout and Sompting. Surprise surprise, none of them went down very well with the 640 residents who responded, and everyone wants to see something more substantial. I could have told them that for free (as indeed I did) at the start of the consultation and saved everyone a lot of time and money.
They are now going to retire hurt and consider their options before coming back with some further designs next year, but I wouldn’t hold your breath about them producing any magic bullet which is why the more substantial work by Transport South-East envisaging tunnelling and other online options is so important.
I will also be launching my campaign video for reporting unnecessary roadwork lane closures next week, including on the A27. You can see what I am talking about with a short video I have already posted on my Facebook page showing traffic lights causing chaos on the Old Shoreham Road, with no weekend working happening and no holes in the road that need a diversion. This could become something of an obsession.
Also frustrating has been the apparent change in policy by Worthing Council to progress turning the Windsor House Hotel into an HMO despite planning permission being rejected only a few months ago for a similar purpose. The Home Office had shown interest about using it as a migrant hostel which would prove even more unpopular for local residents. However, it strikes me that using the tactic of ‘better the devil you know’ on residents who have already put up with a disproportionate concentration of HMOs, hostels and other specialist housing facilities in this residential area, really is not the best way to see this scheme as being in the interests of Worthing.
There will be a drop-in display by the developers this Thursday (June 15th) at the East Worthing Community Centre and concerned residents are planning to be there in force from 5pm. They have my support and there is a video with more details available on my website and Facebook page.
