I dream of safer, quieter city...

I sympathise with Alan Carn who lives jn Chichester near the A27 and also with residents of Midhurst and Petworth and those living along the A272 who are suffering from the noise of motorbikes using the almost empty main roads as racetracks.

I myself haven’t travelled anywhere for the past couple of months except on foot from my front door; but I am concerned about cars which drive probably between 4050mph through the almost empty streets as well as cyclists who think the almost deserted city centre precinct and pavements throughout the city are theirs to enjoy. Nobody dares to criticise them for fear of catching coronavirus.

These dangers are likely to increase as elderly people emerge from lockdown and as parents walk their children to school. One or two unpleasant experiences will drive them back to their cars, and nobody dares to risk using the buses and is asked not to. So back to noise, pollution from exhausts and traffic congestion!

I wonder whether WSCC Highways staff are monitoring the situation? Probably not, as they may be working from home, and as for traffic police they are never to be seen in the city.

I am all in favour of encouraging cycling and walking, but unlike in towns and cities elsewhere there is no sign that WSCC is planning any improvements to either the cycle network or to the footways.

Many cyclists seem unaware that cycling along pavements and public footpaths is illegal but signage is poor and for example nobody would know that the ‘Riverside path’ from Southgate to the Avenue de Chartres is only a public footpath, or that the upper North Walls walkway is also only for pedestrians (although there is a signed cycle way along the lower path from Westgate towards Northgate.)

But where signage is clear, as on Centurion Way shared cycle path, cyclists co-exist perfectly safely with walkers, dogs and mobility scooters and nobody feels intimidated.

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