Chichester to Emsworth Cycle Route (please share your opinions)
The Chichester District Cycle Forum made a freedom of information request to government to publish the National Highways fund feasibility study plans for the Chichester to Emsworth Cycle Route. As a result the document has been publicly released. A few sensitive commercial details have been blanked out from the report but all the information likely to be of interest to the community has been disclosed.
The full report is available on this link. It can also be reached from the www.gov.uk website (expires 10th July) by entering the following text into the search facility “Chichester to Emsworth cycle route”.
The plans show the existing cycle lanes will be removed from the roadway and cyclists travelling in both directions will be relocated onto one pavement that is also to be shared with pedestrians. According to the feasibility study plans, cyclists will no longer have priority where many side roads join the A259 and will have to stop and give way at many of these junctions (for safety).
Some ChiCycle members have had difficulty viewing the very large PDF format document so we are making some of the text and plans available in alternative formats. (available soon)
Please feel free to share your views on these plans but please be patient because it may take time for us to moderate your comments.
The ChiCycle team found it difficult to match the plans with the broader surrounding area so we hope this rough guide showing the approximate relationship with OS maps is a help.
Images of the plans taken from the feasibility study are available as follows
Plan 1of10 South of Emsworth is shown below but a higher resolution images is available here.
Plan 2of10 Emsworth, is shown below but a higher resolution images is available here.
Plan 3of10 between Emsworth and Southbourne is shown below but higher resolution image available here.
Plan 4of10 showing plans for Southbourne are shown below. A higher resolution image is available here.
Plan 5of10 showing plans in Nutborne are shown below. A higher resolution image is available here.
Plan 6of10 plan between Nutborne and Bosham shown below. Higher resolution image available here.
Plans for the area around the Bosham roundabout are shown below. Higher resolution images are available here.
Plans 8of10 between Bosham and Fishbourne are shown below. A higher resolution image is available here.
Plans 9of10 through Fishbourne are shown below and a higher resolution image image is available here.
Plans 10of10 into Chichester are shown below and a higher resolution image is available here.
8 thoughts on “Chichester to Emsworth Cycle Route (please share your opinions)”
If we got these 4 changes in I would be much happier
1) Priority at ALL junctions with side roads. Same priority as cars along the A259, especially for those junctions where the report indicates this is not possible due to poor visibility. Make the cycle lane visible. The current proposals make you stop cycling and give way to a minor side road 14 times!
2) Start at Emsworth roundabout, not Emsworth square to avoid an unecessary diversion if cycling East from Havant.
3) Continue though Fishbourne to the A27 underpass rather than by-passing Fishbourne as the current proposals suggest.
4) Reduce the speed to 20mph in all town centres and introduce traffic calming. The cycle lane is on the North side and this would make it easier to get to it if you live on the South side. It would also help to solve the parking problem for residents in Nutbourne and Southbourne who currently park in the cycle lane due to the difficulty of reversing out into a busy main road.
Walking & Cycling (with thanks to Phillip Ellis for forwarding to me)
Letter – Worthing Herald June 18th 2020
Frightened of being run into
My wife and I are elderly (Blue Badge holder)
and like when possible to walk on the path by
Widewater Lagoon. However, we have now
stopped because of the aggressive cyclists who
who speed along and we are frightened of being
run into. What a shame.
Deryck Hedley
Clive Gardens,
Steyning
So far can 9nly comment on the bit past my house shown on plan 8 of 10 and 9 of 10. Dreadful idea to put bikes on the pavement with pedestrians here. I regularly nearly get knocked over by bikes just as I emerge from my path as it is. Once more riders use the route, especially in 2 directions,
it would be a huge risk. Both to residents but also that that kind of collision could easily spill onto the highway with traffic rarely observing the 30 mph we have now. Certain death!
I would strongly argue for traffic calming to 20 mph and keeping bikes on the road.
Big warning signs to motorised vehicles that cyclists share the route for 100 meters or so. And no noisy ramps for calming measures, it’s hell here already without every clunk over bumps from tractors, skip lorries etc. Im not sure what calming could achieve this though. Better still run the whole route along side the railway line, trains rarely knock cyclists off, and don’t chuff out fumes, brake and tyre particles!
Hello All.
I’m posting this and sending it to anyone who may have some influence.
Apologies if I’m repeating myself here, I’ve now looked at all the plans.
As a Fishbourne resident living on the A259 I have recently ditched the car entirely in favour of active travelling by bicycle, after looking at the plans in the feasibility study on Chemroute, my emotions range from disappointment, sadness and fury.
It has taken an application under the Freedom of Information Act by local cycling groups to obtain a copy of the feasibility study for Chemroute. I’m not surprised. I think the authority that has drawn this up this study ought to be very embarrassed at its failure to grasp what is needed.
Initially, I focused on the part of the route which passes my front door. It proposes to put a two way cycle route shared with pedestrians on a 2.5 meter wide path where traffic is whizzing by, usually over 30 miles an hour.there is no mention of any physical barriers between the motorised vehicles and those on the path.
I already frequently dodge bike riders afraid to ride along the road as I emerged from my gateway. There are also properties with vehicular access over this path. Once a shared use path is added with usage increased from not just one but in both directions, this would be a recipe for disaster, collisions will be inevitable and are likely to spill into the path of passing traffic.
I then looked at the maps of the entire route proposed. At this point I recognise that the feasibility study has entirely missed the main objective which is to provide a safe segregated cycling route that could be used by commuters, school children, and recreational bike riders.
What is proposed may possibly suit young families going to school but I see no other group of bike users that would entertain all the detours, for example through Emsworth and Fishbourne, also the so-called ‘quiet route’ along the stretch where it would be easiest to achieve a segregated cycling route, Cutmill. In my view this completely confirms my belief that it was never the intention to look for a direct cycle route in this feasibility study.
I personally have never expected this cycle route to encourage tourism to our area simply because the A259 is such a busy road there is no pleasure to be had using this route now or or once these proposals have been carried out.
From commuters point of view there is absolutely nothing to be gained by these proposals and I am confident that most will remain on the A259 with the motorised vehicles.
If West Sussex is to achieve any of the objectives set out in the draft climate change strategy document 2020 to 2030, Chemroute in its current form or if this proposal was approved will certainly not contribute to their aims.
What a waste of time, money and energy.
It seems to me it’s time to stop politely grovelling for crumbs of hope about improvements, we must make demands and demonstrate in numbers that cause mayhem to make authorities wake up and help those who ride bicycles and walk.
I recognise this report was written prior to Covid 19 however, Central Government are now urging us to use active travel to save lives and the planet.
It’s back to the drawing board.
I firmly believe that a route closer to that of the railway line between Emsworth and Chichester would be a far more suitable option, away from motorised vehicles where those using it are not subjected to inhaling emission fumes, brake and tyre particles.
We need to think big, make cycling and walking an attractive prospect, encourage tourists to the area with enjoyable routes between our towns and villages.
Most importantly we must not allow this to be kicked into the long grass any longer.
I definitely do not support any of this proposed plan.
A lot of good points made here. I cycle the route regularly as a commuter and observe most cyclist staying on the main road from Cutmill to Bosham roundabout as they do not wish to stop and cross the main road. Most also continue on the 259 through Fishbourne rather than divert up round the Roman Palace. Whilst cyclists are at some risk from collisions with cars, putting them on a pavement is not the answer as it is very bad for pedestrians – you should never cycle on a pavement. The cycle lanes need to be one each side of the road, be segregated by a low kerb or at least a continuous different coloured surface and have priority over side roads the same as cars do. Improvements are needed but they should not inconvenience cyclist or pedestrians (who should be encouraged over cars), if the route becomes too fiddly it will just be ignored by most.
Bryan, Yes I think you are spot on. Whatever we end up with it must be used by commuting cyclists such as yourself. Even on the Bosham straight where there is currently an off-road cycle lane, I see road-bikers stick to the main road. The reason is that the surface is better on the main road and you don’t have to stop when entering Chidham. So any cycle lane needs to be quick, direct and convenient. Above all it needs to be continuous so you don’t have to slow down to a stop, then crunch your way through the gears to get up to full speed again. Anything short of this and commuting road-bikers will continue to use the main road.