Road revamp plans revealed for Climping

Residents have been given a glimpse at radical plans to reduce speed limits on four of the village’s major roads.

Councillor Barry Shears, chairman of Climping Parish Council’s highways committee, has been one of those spearheading the plans.

He said they would help make the village a more ‘user-friendly’ place and will ease safety fears for pedestrians.

Cllr Shears said: “This is part of our long-term plan to create a proper village – to unite Climping. Until we get safety for pedestrians sorted out we simply don’t have a village.

“At the moment, we just have a disparate batch of houses dissected by the A259.”

Currently, the speed limits for many of Climping’s main streets are fixed at 40 miles per hour – a speed which Cllr Shears says is often flouted by motorists.

Under the planned shake-up, a stretch of Yapton Road, from the A259 junction to just beyond the Horsemere Green Lane junction, would be reduced from 40 to 30 miles per hour.

A small 300-yard section of Church Lane, from the Rudford Industrial Estate entrance, in the north, to Field Place, would also be cut from 40 to 30 miles per hour.

Improved safety

However, the most dramatic changes would be in Horsemere Green Lane, which would be reduced to 30 miles per hour and would see four chicanes – similar to those in Station Road, Angmering – being introduced.

“Horsemere Green is a major problem. It’s used as a rat run by people coming from Yapton Road to try to avoid the snarl-up with the A259,” Cllr Shears explained. “It’s something that we need to fix.”

Climping Street would be reduced to 20 miles per hour which Cllr Shears said would improve pedestrian safety.

He added: “Climping Street is a very, very dangerous road to walk down. This business about creating safer walkways is what I have been banging on about since I joined.”

On Saturday, March 8, there will be an opportunity to discuss the proposals with representatives from West Sussex County Council, during a drop-in scheme at Climping Church Hall, in Church Lane.

A larger copy of the plans are also available, on request, at the Littlehampton Library, in Maltravers Road, until Friday, March 21.

The scheme could begin in 2016, subject to consultation.