Traffic plans cause anger
Residents have expressed their dismay at plans to divert traffic through Westbourne due to road works.
Residents, business owners and councillors have expressed their dismay at plans to divert traffic through Westbourne due to works on Emsworth Common Road.
From Monday, September 23, Emsworth Common Road will be shut and traffic diverted through Foxbury Lane. The works, which are set to last six weeks, have sparked outrage, with fears that it will increase the chance of accidents in the area and cause businesses to close down.
West Sussex County Council has since issued a response, saying it has an ‘obligation to facilitate these works’, which are being undertaken by Hampshire County Council.
Westbourne Café owner Jules Spencer said she will be protesting the decision by sitting in the road to prevent traffic from moving. She said: “The diversion is going to be detrimental to Westbourne. They could have diverted it through Hambrook as it is not going to affect anyone that way as it is a wider road.
“It is going to be absolute chaos. My business is going to go bust if this goes ahead.”
Fellow resident and business owner Janice Cox said: “I am concerned about the affect it is going to have on the village. The village is so tiny that this will cause gridlock at best or a serious casualty at worst.
“There will be big lorries coming through Foxbury Lane. They can’t go under the railway bridge. I am very very concerned that they will be allowing juggernauts with trailers through the village.
“It could be lethal. We have one week to stop a tragedy..”
Nigel Ricketts, vicechairman of Westbourne Parish Council, said there has been ‘no consultation whatsoever’.
He added: “We want it to be postponed or re-evaluated. It is going to be a nightmare.”
Chichester district
councillor Roy Briscoe also condemned the ‘ridiculous idea’ to send all the traffic ‘through our lovely little village’.
Rachel Williams, from Westbourne Café, was worried about children going to school in the morning.
A spokesperson for West
Sussex County Council said: “This work is being undertaken by Hampshire County Council. As the neighbouring highway authority, we have an obligation to facilitate these works by making our network available for part of the diversion route.
“After looking at all available options, we therefore agreed for Foxbury Road to be used as the diversion because it is the nearest similar sized road to Emsworth Common Road. However we did state that temporary parking restrictions would need to be considered to facilitate the free flow of traffic through Westbourne.”
Councillor Rob Humby, deputy leader of Hampshire County Council and executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: “We are reconstructing a retaining wall to the culvert that spans the county boundary between West Sussex and Hampshire on Emsworth Common Road.
“The existing retaining walls have partially collapsed and must be repaired before the winter in order to avoid a lengthy road closure, which would be needed if the walls were to completely collapse.
“In order to carry out these works, an official diversion needs to be put in place, in this case through Westbourne, as all alternate routes are subject to railway level crossings with weight restrictions or low bridges, and unsuitable for diverted traffic.
“We understand there have been rumours of parking suspensions through the village but can confirm this is not the case.”