The announcement has been made that under the government’s devolution programme, there will be a huge re-organisation of councils across Sussex.
What does this mean for the people of the Adur area, and our quest to get the cycle infrastructure we need?
For those of us in the Adur area, this will mean the disappearance of the current Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council. Instead, we will be governed by a unitary authority, one of three covering the whole of Sussex. The authority will cover everything in our area from highways to planning, education to refuse collection. In addition, there will be an elected mayor to oversee the new councils across West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
In the seven years since we founded Shoreham-By-Cycle, we have learned that local government holds the key to the overdue infrastructure improvements that are missing from our streets. We have attended dozens of meetings with councillors and officers from both these councils, as well as Lancing Parish Council. We have worked hard with them and we are appreciative of those officers and councillors who have cooperated with us in good faith to look at ways to improve transport choices in Shoreham, Southwick, Lancing and Sompting.
However, it has not been easy, and even after years of hard work, no meaningful cycling infrastructure improvement has yet taken place under the current system.
It’s no secret that we are frustrated with the slow pace of change. It is deeply unhelpful that planning decisions are handled by ADC while highways decisions are managed by WSCC, often out of sync with each other. The results of this misalignment can be seen by the delay in a long-proposed and much-needed cycleway along Shoreham’s A259. We find the quantity and verbosity of WSCC consultations agonising, with projects such as Upper Shoreham Road being consulted upon over and over again before being abandoned for political reasons.
Our hope is that a new council structure may improve the situation. With only one layer to our local government, we hope to see better co-ordination between planning and highways functions, as two interdependent aspects of urban change. We hope to see a faster pace, and more bravery when it comes to bringing beneficial improvements. Above all, we hope for leadership – the leadership that is needed to recognise the problem, listen to experts, recognise opportunities and do what is needed to improve local people’s lives, regardless of short-term politicking.
We hope to participate fully in any community process that will shape the way the new council operates. There simply has to be a change. A new council must mean a new culture and a new way of doing things. We cannot go on in the current mode of lots of talk, plenty of consultation, but very little action.
Let’s welcome this opportunity to reduce delay and bureaucracy, while taking a firm view that a new authority for our area of Sussex must have a genuine culture of engagement that is focussed on real action.
The constituency of East Worthing and Shoreham currently has no MP. Parliament has been dissolved and, until the general election on 4 July 2024, the people of Shoreham and Adur have no representation at Westminster. On 5 July, a new MP for our area will begin preparations to take a seat in the Commons.
You might think that the struggle for easier, safer transport choices is a local matter, and you’d largely be right. But our MP has two important roles to play in this journey:
National policy guides many of the decisions and investments that are made at a local level. Legislation around planning, air quality, highways and design is decided by HM Government in London, though the impact – for good or bad – is felt at a local level. We need an MP who will play a positive role in these important decisions, pushing national Government to enable and resource positive local change.
Even at a local level, our Member of Parliament has input into decisions that are made, particularly by our county council. The approval of our MP is often sought, whether formally or informally, as West Sussex County Council makes decisions around improvements and street designs. A ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’ from our MP can make or break the efforts of our local authority to improve the journeys and the lives of people in our area. With this in mind, East Worthing and Shoreham needs an MP who will display leadership, supporting change where needed – and not shying away from changes that may invoke some debate or objection. Our MP should seek to build understanding and address misunderstandings. They should not let short-term political caution get in the way of leadership and a long-term mission to improve the lives of their constituents.
Importantly, our MP must have the integrity to deliver on their stated intentions. It is not enough to express positive-sounding words around ‘Active Travel’ if there is not a willingness and an ability to back this up with leadership and conviction where it counts.
This is a significant matter. So we are currently speaking to our fellow community groups in the Adur district, looking at ways to encourage the important conversation that is starting about who will represent East Worthing and Shoreham in the next Parliament. We’ll share more soon.
The plan is to modify two ‘chicane’ elements on Middle Road that currently squeeze bikes and motor vehicles through pinch points – by modifying the layout to enable westbound people on bikes to pass through safely, with a kind of ‘bypass’ layout.
This is a simple change that Shoreham-By-Cycle – alongside local councillors – has been requesting for many years. But we really don’t think this current plan goes far enough, for two reasons:
While improving westbound safety, this proposal does nothing to improve eastbound safety – particularly relevant for children heading to Shoreham Academy in the morning. We would like to see further low-cost modifications to ensure both directions are considered.
In a 2021 consultation, a host of other measures were offered for consideration, many of which received favourable responses from local residents. These were things like ‘raised table junctions’, widened pavements, continuous footways at side turnings, and the replacement of Middle Road’s notorious mini-roundabouts with T-junctions. Frustratingly, the mini-roundabouts were removed then exactly rebuilt in 2023’s drawn-out resurfacing project. What a missed opportunity for West Sussex County Council to have made improvements at the time.
We appreciate this is yet another consultation for the people of Adur. We know how frustrating it is to fill in constant surveys and questionnaires that rarely lead to any action, but the current process does rely on repeated consultation to preserve any hope of positive change.
First up is the busy, problematic junction between Upper Shoreham Road and Buckingham Road – sometimes known as The Triangle.
This is primarily a scheme to make walking easier and safer, particularly for schoolchildren. However, there are also some benefits for people driving and cycling.
The main points are:
a pedestrian crossing over Upper Shoreham Road
next to this, a crossing for people on bikes
a simplification of the road layout when turning from Buckingham Road into Upper Shoreham Road
We are supportive of this scheme. Though we are generally very cautious about any project that uses any level of shared-use space for foot and bike, we’ve discussed this with WSCC and we understand why, in this location, options are limited and this could be the best way to make this area safer in the short term.
While we support this new proposal, and look forward to the benefits it will bring, particularly to people on foot, it is very separate to the long-planned and already-consulted cycleways that Upper Shoreham Road needs to enable safe journeys by bike. We look forward to WSCC reviving this important – but very different– scheme when they are able to do so.
Do complete the WSCC consultation, and play your part in improving the USR/Buckingham junction. We know the people of Adur have been asked to fill in so many consultations in recent years, and that it can be frustrating when we see more more consultation than we do action – but realistically, this is the way the system currently works, and it’s important for local residents to show their support for measures that make cycling (and in this case, walking and driving) easier and safer.
I hope your summer has been a good one, and your journeys around our area have been as easy and pleasant as possible.
It’s been a very tough year, for multiple reasons, but the membership of Shoreham-By-Cycle continues to grow, and with it, the voice of our community.
Here are a few things to let you know about:
Picnic in the Park (plus Fix and Learn) : Sunday 10 September, 2pm
If you came along last year, you know the drill: a simple gathering in Buckingham Park. Bring some nibbles and/or drinks if you like. Meet each other, meet the SBC committee, and discuss what we’re up to.
Plus, local shop Bike Boom will be providing a free ‘Fix and Learn’ session, so if your bike needs any tweaks or adjustments, bring it along.
(We’ll keep an eye on the weather, and if plans change, we’ll let you know)
More bike parking for central Shoreham?
One of Shoreham-By-Cycle’s major projects recently has been the preparation of a bid to West Sussex County Council’s ‘Community Highways Scheme’, aimed at securing bike parking facilities in the central area of Shoreham, between the station and the bottom of East Street, where there are currently none. This bid has taken lots of hard work from Adam, our deputy chair, and has won the endorsement of county councillors, district councillors and our MP. We’ll let you know how it progresses.
Three elections in two years
The next couple of years look set to bring lots of political discussion, with an election coming for Adur District Council, a general election in which we choose our MP, and then an election of councillors to West Sussex County Council.
Though SBC is party-neutral, and has allies (and members) from all local political affiliations, we have become very aware that it is most often politics that stands in the way of the progress we need to see to desperately.
With this in mind, we are starting work now on our strategy for the next three elections: Adur, Westminster and West Sussex. Our goal is to robustly hold all candidates to account when it comes to their genuine ambitions for improving our streets. We’ll let you know more about how you can get involved.
New look for Shoreham-By-Cycle
You may have noticed, we’ve smartened up our look a bit. Thanks to the professional skills of Shoreham-By-Cycle member Chris Dean, we have a visual identify that reflects who we are and what we’re trying to do, expressed in a range of different colours. Thank you so much Chris!
New email address for Shoreham-By-Cycle
As SBC expands, we’ve also changed our email address, for clearer communication. So if you need to contact the SBC committee, you can now reach us on this new address: info@shorehambycycle.org.uk.
Tell a friend
Shoreham-By-Cycle is a growing community – not of enthusiast cyclists, but of all people who simply want safer, fairer choices for local journeys. Forward this email to any friends who need to know about our work, or ask them to visit https://shorehambycycle.org.uk/email-sign-up/
That’s all for now, but I hope to chat to you at our picnic on the 10th.
Here in Shoreham it was hard to tell. People were riding bikes as they were every day: to the shops, to football practice, to visit friends or to the pub. And just like every other day, they did so on increasingly busy roads that have been laid out with little regard for the safety of convenience of people using bikes.
While the rest of England, and much of the rest of the world, seems to have embarked upon a positive journey towards better streets and safer transport choices, here in our corner of West Sussex, it’s hard to notice any change at all.
Our need is great: with hundreds of new homes and an expanding population, Shoreham faces pollution and traffic chaos if people are not empowered to make alternative choices for their short journeys. And now a well-documented secondary school places crisis threatens to make school journeys even more challenging for children, many of whom will be making longer and longer daily journeys on awful roads.
A safe convenient future for Shoreham’s sustainable transport lies in the hands of several key decision-makers: chiefly West Sussex County Council (which has responsibility for our road network), but also Adur District Council (which handles matters like planning, bike parking and bike-sharing); and our MP (who represents us in Parliament, where government bodies have decided that funding for West Sussex is to be severely limited until more competence is demonstrated by our county council).
All three parties – district council, county council and MP – can often be heard to issue positive-sounding words on transport, environment and suchlike. But real tangible change is still barely evident for Shoreham. And it looks a long way off. So while our town gets bigger, the roads get busier and school journeys get longer, we won’t give up asking our elected representatives to actually deliver – and not just to talk.
In the meantime, we’ll keep using our bikes to get around Shoreham and our neighbouring towns. We’ll make the most of this amazing, affordable congestion-free means of transport, hoping that our councils and MP catch up with us soon.
Parish councils represent the most local level of democracy, making decisions on various matters that affect local neighbourhoods. Lancing, between Worthing and Shoreham, and home to a major secondary school, is somewhere that shouldn’t be overlooked on the journey towards better cycle infrastructure, and we support the parish council in any way they can work with district or county councils to achieve much-needed progress.
We asked the three candidates three questions, enabling them to share their positions on matters relating to transport in Lancing:
Our questions:
1. What are your thoughts on the three proposed cycle infrastructure proposals currently under consultation by WSCC?
2. What are your thoughts on LPC’s potential work with WSCC to consider changes to the Beach Green path near Perch, possibly to separate people on foot and on bike?
3. Any other thoughts around improvements that would make cycling easier and safer for short journeys around Lancing?
Here’s what the candidates told us:
Colin Pacifico Labour Party
1. As a keen cyclist I already use the three proposed routes on a regular basis and making safer cycle routes is something I fully support, I look forward to seeing the results of the public consultation on these routes and how ideas and concerns might be addressed within the plans.
2. The current shared cycle path through Lancing beach green has generally been a great success but there are a couple of pinch points and one of those is at the Perch where pedestrian and cycle traffic at certain times converge with a large numbers of beach and park users. If elected I would be pressing LPC and WSCC to work closely with all the interested parties to ensure a diversity of views is heard.
3. Cycling is only to be encouraged being environmentally sustainable with great health benefits, designated cycle lanes is the way forward but it needs to be used by responsible cyclists with correctly equipped and maintained bikes sharing the roads and paths collaboratively with all, I often think Lancing needs a cycle shop and wouldn’t it be great if one was to appear on a cycle route
Maggie Rumble Green Party
1. I support the new cycleways east-west and would like there to be consideration of further ones running north-south, ie the ‘rungs on a ladder’ model that’s been mentioned on here previously.
2. I would support segregated paths for bike and foot around the Perch area where it gets congested.
3. We need better enforcement of parking regulations, eg stopping cars parked halfway across junctions and shared use paths; cutting back overgrown vegetation alongside paths; making sure there are dropped kerbs where paths cross roads, eg on north side of A27; safe places to leave bikes locked up near shops. I would like consideration to be given to reducing speed limits on some of the roads through Lancing, possibly with speed bumps or chicanes where appropriate. Long term we could encourage a culture of ‘Lancing is a cycle friendly village’ to try to emphasize the positive aspects of cycling, ie more carrot , less stick.
Bob Smytherman
1. I fully support these proposals.
2. I fully support encouraging cyclists to enjoy Lancing’s fantastic seafront and connecting cycle & walking routes. I have always been a passionate advocate for the joining up of South Coast seafront route creating a safe space for cyclists , walkers & indeed our popular parkrun each week.
3. I think Lancing should push for 20mph zones around the village.
As 2023 begins, it seems right to take a look back, and a look forward, at where we’ve been and where we’re going. It’s a bit of an irony that something as positive, freedom-giving and life-affirming as cycling should be such a struggle for West Sussex County Council and Adur District Council to provide for, despite both councils’ many warm words and strategies on matters of transport and environment. As a community group, much of our role remains focussed on holding our councils to account and – where possible – helping them to make even a fraction of the progress being made towards active travel in other towns across England.
The people of Shoreham participated in more consultations in 2022, to add to the steadily growing pile of reports and research accrued by our county and district councils. On the topic of Upper Shoreham Road, consultation showed – yet again – no reason why a long-planned cycleway shouldn’t be built along this strategic route.
Our visualisation of how Upper Shoreham Road could look in future
Our MP, Tim Loughton, has told us he no longer wishes to discuss the topic, despite having seemed keen to be involved in earlier stages. It’s disappointing that the former Children’s Minister and member of the Conservative Environment Network hasn’t taken a more positive role in improving transport options for children and adults in our town.
The Department of Transport released another slice of funding in 2022, helping councils across England to build quality cycle infrastructure. West Sussex County Council was the only council in the country to have been disqualified from applying for this funding, due to its actions in recent years.
Meanwhile, at Adur District Council, there have been more positive noises. As the holder of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, ADC has a strategy, evolved over 30 years and thoroughly consulted upon, for a safe network for cycling and walking in Adur. However, without action from WSCC, the district council has very limited means to implement any construction. In July, ADC passed a motion to re-affirm its LCWIP, including its clear identification of Upper Shoreham Road as a priority. Every councillor present voted in favour of re-affirming the plan – the only exception being an abstention by Council Leader Cllr Neil Parkin (despite Cllr Parkin’s own firm endorsement within the original document’s introduction.)
We wait to learn whether ADC has been at all successful in its cooperation with WSCC, with updates soon hoped for on the futures of Upper Shoreham Road, Middle Road and parts of Lancing.
Another long-planned boost for cycling in the district has been the proposed adoption of a bike-sharing scheme, ideal as another flexible transport option for local people. Previous announcements had described how Adur District Council would be joining forces with Brighton & Hove City Council in an extension of the most successful scheme outside London. But, due to cost-saving concerns, there has been a change of plan, and Adur will now host a smaller number of bikes provided by Donkey Bike, as used in Worthing. This smaller proposal won’t integrate with Brighton’s bike scheme and won’t include any e-bikes.
Was there any positive news?
With so much repeated disappointment and delay, it’s worth us pointing out the positives, where they exist. After 20 years of discussion and local lobbying (long preceding Shoreham-by-Cycle), a crossing for people on bikes and foot has been built by WSCC by the Red Lion pub, safely connecting the River Adur to the area of Upper Shoreham Road. This crossing has been an immediate success, with over 200 uses in its very first day. It is well-designed and we’re grateful to WSCC. But the crossing also serves to further highlight the sorry state of Upper Shoreham Road and its lack of safety for people using bikes – especially the growing number of Shoreham children travelling to Sir Robert Woodard Academy.
The new toucan crossing over the A283 – for people on foot and on bikes
On Lancing Green a proposal is being looked at that, after an uncertain start, could see Lancing Parish Council collaborating with WSCC to change the layout of the seafront shared path as it passes the popular Perch café. This could reduce risk and conflict between users of the path, so we really hope this leads to a good outcome.
And for Shoreham-By-Cycle ourselves, we took the step in 2022 of expanding into a true membership organisation. We now have approaching 100 members: local people who want to see cycling made safer and easier in our town. We have held our first social gatherings, including a lovely picnic in Buckingham Park. It was so good to meet so many people and share so many ideas: a real testament to the growing tide of voices asking for positive change and safer streets.
The questions are remarkably similar to those of last year’s consultation on the same topic, and the route is already almost universally recognised as being a vital connection to be made safe for cycling. Yet, consultation after consultation seems to be the way we slowly edge towards progress, so we would encourage everyone to make their voice heard yet again.
Our unofficial visualisation of part of the A259
School Streets – long in existence elsewhere – might finally make a trial appearance around five West Sussex primary schools, with brief restrictions on motor vehicles at the start and end of the day, giving children and parents safer, less polluted journeys to school. We hope a Shoreham school will be selected for this trial.
We believe routine dialogue, not just formal consultation, is vital for councils and citizens to work together. We have asked Cllr Kevin Boram to consider setting up a group for Adur that is similar to the joint Adur & Worthing forum that existed before Covid, bringing together councillors from WSCC and ADC, council officers and several local community groups. We hope this will lead to greater transparency, better understanding and more focussed progress as we look forward to another year of waiting for our streets to be made safer, more accessible and more useful for local journeys.
In addition, we are committed to further discussions with other decision-makers like Sussex Police, employers, property developers and commercial landlords, all of whom have a role to play in making cycling safe and convenient.
Shoreham-By-Cycle’s summer picnic
Shoreham-By-Cycle members will gather again this year, on several occasions. We are planning more social gatherings as well as a public meeting. You can join us – as we continue speaking to decision-makers about the positive changes we need to see.
Recently, an open letter was sent to councillors of Adur District Council and West Sussex County Council, from a small group called ‘The USR Action Group’.
The group opposes plans to create cycle infrastructure on Upper Shoreham Road, and its letter called upon councillors to abandon such plans, and to look instead at the A259.
Though everyone is entitled to share their opinion with councillors, we felt there were enough misconceptions within the group’s letter that we decided to write our own letter – also sent to all councillors.
Here is the text of our open letter:
Dear Councillors
We write in response to the open letter sent to councillors from a small group called the USR Action Group.
While of course we applaud reasonable communication between citizens and elected representatives, it seems there are a number of unfortunate misconceptions and ill-founded claims within the letter, as well as an uncomfortable suggestion that council tax banding may have a bearing on the weight that should be afforded to residents’ opinions.
We hope here to offer some corrections and clarifications.
We are Shoreham-By-Cycle – a group of nearly 100 members, representing a broad spectrum of local people. We have members living on Upper Shoreham Road, in other parts of Shoreham and a small number who live in surrounding suburbs, towns and villages, who make their journeys to or through Shoreham.
Many of our members are parents whose children travel to the numerous schools that are reached via Upper Shoreham Road, including Sir Robert Woodard Academy, attended by an ever-increasing number of Shoreham children.
We are united in our desire for travel within and around Shoreham to be safer and easier.
Upper Shoreham Road or A259, or both?
USRAG’s letter queries the selection of Upper Shoreham Road as a candidate for improvements – in comparison with alternative routes.
For over 25 years, a cycling network has been planned for Shoreham by Sea. It is self-evident that a network, not a singular route, is needed in order to enable people’s diverse journeys, and this is reflected in the numerous strategies and documents that have repeatedly defined Upper Shoreham Road as a primary route within such a network. Upper Shoreham Road has not simply been chosen on a whim: its selection is the result of repeated and thorough research, not least through the Department for Transport’s sophisticated ‘Propensity to Cycle’ Tool and Adur and Worthing Councils’ Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
Specifically, USRAG’s letter mentions the A259 Brighton Road. This is the other of the two significant east-west routes defined in strategies as being ‘primary’ in its priority.
Two points of note about the A259:
Firstly, the A259 is a very different kind of road to Upper Shoreham Road, serving a very different purpose. It forms an important commuting route for middle-distance journeys, connecting Shoreham to its neighbouring towns and suburbs to the east and west. But being south of the railway line which severs parts of Shoreham, the A259 is of very limited utility for most journeys that take place within the town itself – in particular, thousands of everyday journeys to multiple schools.
Secondly, it is widely known that consultation is already underway with a view to the eventual format and design of an A259 cycleway. But with years of construction work lying ahead for the western harbour arm, councillors and council officers have made clear that this route will not be ready for the installation of cycle infrastructure for quite some time – maybe five to ten years.
The A259 does indeed deserve to be improved and made safe for journeys by cycle. But this in no way detracts from the pressing need to update Upper Shoreham Road: a street that hosts thousands of short journeys every day for school, work, shopping and leisure, and whose current layout still incongruously harks back to its identity 50 years ago as a trunk road.
While the A259 faces years of residential construction and disruption, Upper Shoreham Road does not. It is ready for updates now.
Support for progress
USRAG’s letter suggests that there is not “a clear body of support” in favour of upgrades to Upper Shoreham Road. This is not accurate.
In the most recent WSCC consultation, levels of support and opposition for proposed measures on Upper Shoreham Road were both recorded at 48% each. It does seem that levels of opposition are sometimes rather overstated by those who are uncomfortable with the swell of public opinion in recent years towards safe active travel.
Further to the above, firm and repeated Department for Transport guidance to WSCC and other authorities states that “consultations should not be treated as referendums”.
WSCC’s multiple Upper Shoreham Road consultations, rather than acting as referendums, have quite rightly enabled the council to take on board specific concerns and ensure these are addressed within eventual designs. With attractive design and ample provision of spaces for parking cars, the most frequently cited doubts are thus addressed.
The Department for Transport also points out to WSCC the well-known (and evidenced) fact that after improvements such as these are completed, levels of public support for new infrastructure continues to grow considerably. Shoreham’s own East Street was a close-to-home example of this phenomenon over a decade ago.
Support comes also from our elected representatives. Upper Shoreham Road is defined as a primary route within Adur and Worthing Councils’ Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. This strategic document was consulted upon comprehensively among local residents, and district councillors unanimously accepted its adoption in 2020. The plan was reaffirmed this year by Adur District Council, only weeks ago, with, once again, huge cross-party support for a motion that highlighted Upper Shoreham Road as a priority – and with not one councillor voting to oppose.
Value for money
USRAG’s letter then moves on to questions of value for money. This is not a topic on which we have heard the group comment before.
Some points to consider:
The sums of money being discussed – to come from central government funds, not from local budgets – are a fraction of the costs of many other highways schemes: a balance sheet upon which roundabouts can habitually cost £30million, and simple junction upgrades alone can be priced in millions. By any standard of government spending, the improvements being proposed for cycle infrastructure are reasonably priced.
But of course, value for money and price are not the same thing.
Well-designed, well-planned and well-implemented cycle schemes have been found to be among the best value for money of any government spending, due the way such projects bring benefits for safety, commerce, health, congestion, planning, environment and numerous other measurable outcomes.
Value for money is nevertheless a complex calculation, perhaps deserving of more expertise than can be provided by the guesswork of any involved in the local conversation. This expertise is in the hands of government funding body Active Travel England, who use sophisticated tools and calculations to decide whether or not a proposal delivers a good return on investment. If ATE’s specialists do not consider a project to be good value for money, they will not fund it.
It should be noted however, that ATE is not averse to projects with notable price tags, as can be seen from successful work it has funded (as DfT) in numerous other towns. For this reason, a full proposal for Upper Shoreham Road cycleways must be put to Active Travel England as a matter of urgency. Expert judgement is needed now to appraise both design and value for money – and ATE cannot judge a bid they have not seen.
Other measures for Upper Shoreham Road
USRAG’s letter proposes measures such as 20mph limits and speed bumps for Upper Shoreham Road. Such interventions can certainly have value on certain types of street, in certain contexts. Upper Shoreham Road is not one such context. It is a vital distributor road within Shoreham, which clear DfT and WSCC design guidance makes clear is suited to separated cycle infrastructure rather than interventions designed for much smaller, quieter roads.
A duty to all
In closing, we cannot help but take firm exception to USRAG’s suggestion that there is relevance in the idea that “many [Upper Shoreham Road residents] pay a higher than average amount in local council taxes in support of the work of the local authority”.
The concept that a resident’s wealth should give them greater influence in the decisions made by their elected councillors is something with which we cannot agree. Legally, WSCC has an obligation, known as its Network Management Duty, to facilitate the safe movement of people on the roads within its purview. This duty relates to all people using a road, regardless of where they live, the origin or destination of their journey, or the level at which they (or their parents) pay council tax. To suggest otherwise would be deeply inappropriate.
In conclusion
After years of planning, multiple consultations, clear repeated government instruction and now the imminent availability of funding, it really is time Shoreham was allowed to catch up – by using available government funds to bring a long-awaited start to its cycle network.
The clear evidence-driven and practical starting point for that network is Upper Shoreham Road. A full funding bid for Upper Shoreham Road’s cycleways – not a watered-down phased approach that delays any cycling improvements for still more years – must therefore be submitted, in good faith, to Active Travel England at the earliest opportunity, so that its value for money can be determined.
We remain available to assist in any way we can as councillors and officers work to bring our streets up to date.
How long have our councils been talking about a cycle route on Upper Shoreham Road?
What standards are the proposals being designed to?
How much will this cost?
How will this be funded?
Is Upper Shoreham Road wide enough to put a cycle lane on?
Have alternative routes been looked at?
Will any trees or green spaces be removed near Buckingham Park?
Will grass verges be removed?
Will the scheme have an effect on road traffic noise?
Didn’t West Sussex County Council go to court over this?
Why is cycle infrastructure needed on Upper Shoreham Road?
We need safer streets to enable more, safer cycle journeys in our towns. The Department for Transport has made clear that the streets to prioritise are direct, useful, busy streets that move people efficiently to where they need to go. These streets should be updated with separated cycleways, compliant with DfT’s new design standards.
Upper Shoreham Road is arguably the most useful road in Shoreham, connecting thousands of homes to many schools, three shopping areas, a large park, and links east and west towards neighbouring towns.
Upper Shoreham Road was first documented as a key part of a future cycle network around 30 years ago, in a West Sussex County Council strategy document. This has been echoed in multiple plans and strategies, including several by Adur District Council – most recently in Adur & Worthing Councils’ Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
Every time any plan or strategy is produced for Adur district, Upper Shoreham Road is identified as a primary route.
Adur and Worthing Councils’ Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan shows Upper Shoreham Road as a primary route in need of change.
How will a cycle scheme improve safety on Upper Shoreham Road?
Upper Shoreham Road does not have a good safety record. Records show that collisions, incidents and related reports are commonplace.
Map by Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, showing reports of incidents on Upper Shoreham Road
Here is what West Sussex County Council have said about the scheme improving safety for all road users. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians:
“The minimum lane width is 3m which would result in a major change to the feel of the road, making it feel more like an urban distributer road and Active Travel corridor than an ex- trunk road from the 1960s. The provision of a consistent width would have a traffic calming effect to help to keep driver speeds down and reduce conflict.”
“This active travel scheme would not only make Upper Shoreham Road a safer place for cyclists but would also improve pedestrian safety by reducing pedestrian crossing distances and encouraging slow vehicle speed.”
“Any potholes within the scheme extent would also be looked at.”
“The scheme would provide a net safety benefit by providing protection for vulnerable road users such as walkers and cyclists.”
Will enough people use cycleways to make them worthwhile on Upper Shoreham Road?
Data on existing use shows a regular level of cycling on this key route. But the real potential lies in the people who don’t currently feel safe enough to cycle. During 2020’s temporary scheme, Upper Shoreham Road saw a spike in cycling numbers – particularly among children and women.
But experience of long-term street improvements in London and elsewhere shows that when people are enabled to cycle safely, the increase is rarely an overnight one. Instead, numbers build over several months, as confidence, familiarity and habits grow. After two years, the real potential of well-designed cycle infrastructure is witnessed in significant number.
This effect is recognised in the various strategic mapping and planning tools used by engineers and planners. This is why Upper Shoreham Road is repeatedly recognised as a primary route for Shoreham – to be prioritised.
Will cycleways on Upper Shoreham Road help children to get to school?
Yes. West Sussex County Council has carried out a school survey in January 2022 and has looked at travel patterns for the local school. It has shown that Upper Shoreham Road is the most useful road for parents taking their children to all of the junior schools.
Upper Shoreham Road serves five junior schools and two secondary schools – more than any other road in Shoreham. With 200 children a year travelling to Sir Robert Woodard Academy (and this number is forecast to increase), a cycle lane on Upper Shoreham Road will greatly benefit them and all school children.
One of the many children who used temporary lanes to get to school in 2020
Safe journeys to schools rely on two things: reduction of traffic danger on roads close to schools, but, really importantly, safe, separated routes through towns towards school areas. Upper Shoreham Road is vital for this.
Will future cycleways on Upper Shoreham Road be the same as the pop-up cycle lanes?
No. Any proposed cycle lanes on Upper Shoreham Road will be very different. 2020’s pop-up cycle scheme was installed very quickly, with little time for careful design and without any consultation. A future, permanent scheme will have gone through extensive consultation and design. It will be attractive and will be of a high quality which will enhance the road for all users and residents.
A possible layout and appearance for an improved Upper Shoreham Road
Here is what West Sussex County Council have said about the proposed new scheme on Upper Shoreham Road:
“[any proposed scheme] would result in a major change to the feel of the road, making it feel more like an urban distributer road and Active Travel corridor than an ex- trunk road from the 1960s. The provision of a consistent width would have a traffic calming effect to help to keep driver speeds down and reduce conflict.”
“This active travel scheme would not only make Upper Shoreham Road a safer place for cyclists but would also improve pedestrian safety by reducing pedestrian crossing distances and encouraging slow vehicle speed.”
Will I be able to park my car on Upper Shoreham Road?
Yes. There will still be more than enough car parking spaces.
A potential future layout for Upper Shoreham Road, showing spaces for car parking.
Here is what West Sussex County Council have said about the proposed scheme on Upper Shoreham Road:
“The level of parking demand has been measured and this information would inform the design as it develops to ensure that the need for on – street parking can be given adequate consideration in each location. This will ensure that parking displacement is minimised.“
“A parking survey carried out along Upper Shoreham Road confirmed that there is sufficient parking available along this road which, at most times, remain unoccupied.”
“As part of this cycle scheme, formal parking bays would still be provided except at critical locations where road widths are less than the required highway standard widths and any loss of the total existing parking would be minimal.”
“Any subsequent permanent scheme would be designed to take the need for parking into account.”
“The Council would intend to provide adequate levels of on- street parking within a permanent scheme – hence there would be a reduced need to park in neighbouring roads.”
“Blue badge parking should remain unaffected. Disabled residents requiring parking outside of their properties should contact the council directly and acquire a blue badge parking permit.”
What about disabled parking?
Here is what West Sussex County Council have said about disabled parking on Upper Shoreham Road:
“Blue badge parking should remain unaffected. Disabled residents requiring parking outside of their properties should contact the council directly and acquire a blue badge parking permit.”
Carefully laid-out parking areas can be part of Upper Shoreham Road’s upgrade.
What about pedestrians? Will walking be improved on Upper Shoreham Road?
Pedestrian crossing points are vital for Upper Shoreham Road, and they will be improved. The current ‘traffic islands’ are not official crossing points, don’t have dropped kerbs, and are not suitable for wheelchair users or parents with buggies. They create dangerous pinch points when drivers overtake people on bikes. They are not fit for purpose.
Pedestrians crossings must be added to Upper Shoreham Road
Many side roads on Upper Shoreham Road have very wide junctions, creating more danger for people crossing as they walk, and encouraging speed from drivers. Modern design would see these junctions narrowed and made much safer.
There is a benefit to pedestrians (and homeowners) on Upper Shoreham Road in that the moving traffic will be slightly further away from people walking, which has been proven to reduce the pollution that people walking are exposed to.
There is also an added benefit that the vehicle speeds will be reduced on Upper Shoreham Road due to the scheme.
Here is what West Sussex County Council has said about pedestrian safety on Upper Shoreham Road:
“Pedestrian safety has also been considered as part of this scheme. For example, reduced crossing distance at critical junctions, WSCC compliant refuge islands and crossing points have been provided at the desire lines.”
“The existing islands do not have compliant width for pedestrians to stand and wait and therefore have been proposed to be removed. The new refuge islands are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and buggies and have been proposed at desire lines i.e., at locations where people are more likely to cross for e.g., near bus stops.”
“This active travel scheme would not only make Upper Shoreham Road a safer place for cyclists but would also improve pedestrian safety by reducing pedestrian crossing distances and encouraging slow vehicle speed.“
Will the cycle lanes cause congestion or increase driving journey times?
No. The pop-up cycle scheme on Upper Shoreham Road was tested multiple times and did not impact journey times in any way. Similarly, a permanent scheme should have no impact on journey times. As a two-lane road, there will be no reduction in available driving lanes. No real change for driving along Upper Shoreham Road.
West Sussex County Council montoried journey times when the pop up lanes were in place and this is what they said:
“WSCC Officers conducted several dash-cam recorded and timed drive throughs of the Shoreham (pop up) scheme in response to public concerns about traffic congestion and travel times.“
“The mean vehicle speeds through the monitored areas, over a 24-hour period are unchanged by the scheme.”
What about emergency services?
West Sussex County Council consulted all three emergency services throughout the pop-up cycle scheme on Upper Shoreham Road and they will also be consulted on any future designs and their feedback will be taken into account.
An ambulance making progress through a street with cycle lanes
Here’s what West Sussex County Council said about the pop-up scheme in their report:
“We remain in regular contact with all three emergency services and are closely monitoring the impact on blue light services. Although concerns have often been raised by the public regarding emergency vehicles being unable to navigate the scheme at busy periods, this does not reflect the regular feedback from the Emergency Services.”
Will they fix the potholes?
Here is what West Sussex County Council have said about fixing potholes on Upper Shoreham Road:
“Any potholes within the scheme extent would also be looked at.”
A pothole – to be repaired as part of Upper Shoreham Road improvements
Will cycle lanes cause more pollution?
There is absolutely nothing to suggest that the installation of quality cycleways will cause any increase in pollution. In the long term, it is highly likely to reduce pollution.
Here is what West Sussex County Council has said about air quality on Upper Shoreham Road when the pop up cycle lanes were in place:
“The pop-up cycle scheme in Shoreham has not materially affected traffic columns and flows, so an increase in pollution is not expected. There is some evidence to suggest more parents and pupils are walking and/or cycling to school, which should positively impact local air quality.”
Will it make it more difficult to get out of driveways?
Good design standards from the Department for Transport provide for easy entrance and exit into and from residents’ driveways.
Here is what West Sussex County Council has said about driveway safety on Upper Shoreham Road:
“The proposed design should have minimal to no effect on the use and access of the existing driveways and properties.”
How many people will use cycleways on Upper Shoreham Road?
Cycle infrastructure is important to help create positive change. Research shows that levels of cycling increase very much in the two years following construction. This increase in cycling numbers is rarely instant, but it does happen.
Nonetheless, when West Sussex County Council installed its 2020 temporary scheme on Upper Shoreham Road, there was a very significant, almost instant increase in numbers, as people felt they could cycle more safely.
WSCC installed traffic monitoring equipment to count the number of cycle trips on Upper Shoreham Road during the time the pop up cycle scheme was in place and for the three months they were in place there were over 30,000 cycle trips recorded.
Usage levels of 2020’s temporary cycle scheme on Upper Shoreham Road
Has there been consultation on this?
West Sussex County Council has carried out extensive consultation on Upper Shoreham Road cycle lanes since 2020. They have consulted the public several times with many surveys and consultations. They have sought the views of emergency services, stakeholders, community groups, businesses and local councillors.
The Department for Transport has written to WSCC to make it very clear that consultations are not to be treated as referendums. Consultations are not ballots: they are opportunities for local authorities to listen to feedback, accommodate concerns and make refinements. The DfT does not expect consultations to return majority or consensus, as they know that levels of support always increase after consultation.
Do people support this?
Unquestionably. There is never instant 100% support for updating streets, but the level of support shown for improving Upper Shoreham Road has been shown, many times, to exceed the levels expected or required by the Department for Transport.
2019 Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan consultation: 89% of all local people who responded supported improving the cycling network
2019 Adur & Worthing Open Space Study: 78% of households confirmed that they would be prepared to walk/cycle further if the quality of the route was improved; and 81% also said that if the quality of the route was improved they would make the journey more often.
2020 Shoreham Society Survey: 60% of respondents said there are not enough safe cycle routes
2020 Survey by Tim Loughton MP and Cllr Kevin Boram 68% supported additional cycle routes and walking schemes
2021 West Sussex County Council Active Travel Plan engagement 65% support a permanent high quality cycling facility on Upper Shoreham Road
2021 West Sussex County Council Active Travel Engagement Overall support and opposition for cycle lanes for Upper Shoreham Road was almost equal, with those opposing to some extent at 48% (788 respondents) compared to 48% (776 respondents) in support to some extent. A difference of 12 people. There is not strong opposition to installing safe segregated cycle lanes on Upper Shoreham Road, and support is higher than the level required by Department for Transport
How long have our councils been talking about a cycle route on Upper Shoreham Road?
Shoreham-By-Cycle has sourced many council documents, plans and strategies going back 30 years where there have been proposed cycle lanes on Upper Shoreham Road and talk of making Upper Shoreham Road safer for people to cycle on. These go back as far as West Sussex County Council’s Cycling Strategy 1994 and Adur District Council’s Cycling Strategy 1997, right up to Adur and Worthing Council’s 2020 Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
Documents from the 1990s, including a proposal to create a cycle route along Upper Shoreham Road
What standards are the proposals being designed to?
The project will seek to meet the guidance detailed for local authorities in the Government Local Transport Note 1/20 (Cycle Infrastructure Design). Beyond that, the Manual for Streets and the West Sussex Cycle Design Guide will also be considered.
The Department for Transport has recently set high standards for cycle infrastructure design
How much will this cost?
It is currently unclear what the final cost will be. However a rough guide is that it costs around £1.5 million per mile of cycle lane. Cycle infrastructure has been proven time and time again to be a very cost effective spend on infrastructure compared to other road infrastructure. For example the new roundabout on the A27 by New Monks Farm is currently projected to cost £25 million for one roundabout.
In order to be successful, any bid to the Government’s Active Travel Fund would need to demonstrate good Value for Money (VfM), which walking and cycle schemes generally do.
How will this be funded?
In 2020 the government promised £5 billion to improve bus and cycle routes outside of London. This will also be part of the government’s commitment on Active Travel, so will be funded by central government rather than local council tax.
Funding for the walking and cycling proposals will be dependent on a successful bid to the Tranche 4 of the DfT’s Active Travel Fund, which is expected to be announced later this year.
Is Upper Shoreham Road wide enough to put a cycle lane on?
Yes. Upper Shoreham Road, as the widest road in Shoreham, is more than wide enough to put safe cycle lanes in. There is no technical reason not to install cycle lanes on Upper Shoreham Road and improve safety for all road users.
A possible layout that makes better use of Upper Shoreham Road’s space
Here’s what West Sussex County Council has said about it:
“Measurements have been taken at pinch points and it has been confirmed that sufficient width exists for the scheme options as presented, although we expect some adjustments to occur as the design progresses.”
Will cycle lanes help reduce the number of people cycling on the pavements?
Yes. With improved conditions for cycling, Shoreham-By-Cycle has monitored incidence of pavement cycling, which has been observed to reduce to just 25% of previous levels when cycle lanes are present. Pavement cycling is between three and five times more likely to occur where a cycle lane is not available.(Based on surveys conducted on Upper Shoreham Road in July 2020 and November 2020)
Have alternative routes been looked at?
Some councillors and commentators can be heard to suggest that a cycleway should take a different route through Shoreham.
Upper Shoreham Road is the only road in Shoreham (apart from the A259) which runs the whole length from east to west through Shoreham. It has been identified for 30 years as a strategic route which will benefit residents of north Shoreham, especially schoolchildren getting to and from school. An attempt to replicate Upper Shoreham Road’s utility along parallel streets would be impossible, leading instead to a twisting, complicated route with more danger, more hazards and more junctions – on streets too narrow to install proper infrastructure.
Here’s what West Sussex County Council say about it:
“Alternative routes have been looked at and Upper Shoreham Road was prioritised because it was previously a pop-up scheme and it appears in the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan and is a top priority for Adur [District] Council.”
Will any trees or green spaces be removed near Buckingham Park?
There are no plans for any trees or any green spaces by Buckingham Park to be removed as part of any scheme to install cycle lanes on Upper Shoreham Road. There is more than enough space to create cycleways without any risk to these trees or green areas.
We are aware of a number of false rumours that have been circulated about this and they are untrue.
Will grass verges be removed?
Here is what West Sussex County Council have said about the removal of grass verges: “Where possible removal of verge would be avoided. However, to ensure sufficient footway width is provided removal of verge would be required at critical locations.”
Will the scheme have an effect on road traffic noise?
Any proposed scheme should have a positive impact on traffic noise, doing away with the wasted space of a central reservation and other relics of an old trunk road, reducing speeding and making it feel more like the residential connector street it is.
Didn’t West Sussex County Council go to court over this?
Yes. West Sussex County Council admitted that they removed the pop up cycle lanes unlawfully.
However, it is important to know that no-one is proposing to replace the pop-up lanes with a similar design. Instead, as WSCC have assured DfT is possible, we could see a serious, attractive, useful design, enabling WSCC to put right its past mistakes and the people of Shoreham to have more options for their short journeys.
SHOREHAM-BY-CYCLE 