Upgrade for old road

THE former A27 route through Polegate town is to be improved by the Highways Agency at a cost of around 400,000.

Constultation will begin next week about a hand over of the old road to East Sussex County Council after the improvement work is completed. This is expected to last about 16 weeks, and is scheduled for the first half of 2003.

The change is status for the road follows the opening of the Polegate by-pass which has taken through traffic away from the town.

Ing Fischer, the Agency's A27 route manager said: 'It is our usual procedure to hand-over a trunk road to a local highway authority if a new section of road has largely removed through traffic from it, and the coming consultation is the start of the legal processes which have to be followed. We are not intending to make the transfer without putting the old A27 into good order first.'

Bob Wilkins, East Sussex County Council's Director of Transport and Environment, said: 'Removal of traffic from the town on to the bypass gives an opportunity to change things which must be grasped. The Polegate community needs to be fully engaged in developing ideas on how this should be done. We will look to best practice elsewhere to ensure we end up with the right solution. I welcome the Highways Agency's commitment to put the old road into good order before we take over its long term maintenance.'

The first stage of the detrunking process will be the production of a consultation paper this month. Frontagers along the old A27 will be contacted, and information will also be available at the town council offices and the post office.

There will also be an exhibition in Polegate Church Hall on Tuesday August 13, covering the detrunking proposals, and the improvements, which includes repairs to footways

Various safety measures will also be introduced, including improvements at junctions and to crossing facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, and 'gateways' to emphasise the start of the speed limit, with carriageway narrowings to further encourage drivers to keep to the speed limit.