Two-year wait until Arundel bypass route revealed

Highways England, which has replaced the Highways Agency, set out its timetable for consultation of the A27 improvement route in a report, published last Thursday.

The ‘delivery plan 2015-20’ document confirms the need for A27 improvements and states that detailed consultation was needed before any formal route decision was agreed upon.

Conservative parliamentary candidate for Arundel and South Downs Nick Herbert felt it was ‘encouraging’ the timetable had been set out, and said: “I always emphasised that there would be ample opportunity for local people to have their say over the route of the Arundel bypass, and this announcement shows that there will be full and detailed consultation.

“It is important that local people have their say, but equally essential that the bypass goes ahead without undue delay. If anything, this timetable is too extended.”

Over the next two years, Highways England will assess the traffic and environmental impacts of each route, before it undertakes further detailed consultation on the suggested routes. It will then collate this data to come up with the recommendation for the preferred route in 2017.

No exact date for construction was mentioned. However, the Government’s road investment strategy has previously said the route would be built by the ‘late road period, which ends in 2019/20.