A27 between Beddingham and Polegate

[Eksman]

we drive this road though mostly between 10am and 2pm so its normally quite civilized, it was one of the roads I always looked forward to, as the views along there looking south are beautiful and if we ever won money my last move would be to an address I have always lusted after since a child
CHALVINGTON RIPE
in fact all of those little places along there are just lovely and personally I think a dual carriageway would ruin it completely.

just slow down and enjoy the view

Here's an idea, slow down and concentrate on driving rather than enjoying the view

 

[MissGull]

My driving instructor always said, views can kill!

 

[Theatre of Trees]

I've often wondered whether a big roundabout at the Ripe turning and another smaller one for the Charleston turning would be an answer. The first could also include an entrance for Middle Farm (there's an old section of the A27 behind a hedge which could be used) and if configured in a way would at least slow traffic down prior to heading down the dip. The second would also provide a slowing point for the road at the bottom of the dip and perhaps a 40 mph speed limit between the two may well slow traffic down through that point, prior to it speeding up again beyond each turning.

Even if they did dual the road there would still be a lot of roundabouts (about 10) to serve a number of communities, particularly to the south of the road, who have no other access to the road system (Littledene, West Firle, Heighton Street, Charleston, Alciston, Berwick and Folkington along with Wilmington and Milton Street whose southern access point at Long Bridge near Alfriston can be blocked by floods in winter). There is also the problem that all land south of the A27 is now part of the South Downs National Park so any alternative route has to go north which would cause problems at Selmeston and the section between Folkington and Polegate where the railway runs right up against the road.

 

[MissGull]

It doesn't run right up against the road though. You can never actually see the trains. There's a fair amount of grass verge and hedge there.

 

[beorhthelm]

Even if they did dual the road there would still be a lot of roundabouts (about 10) to serve a number of communities, particularly to the south of the road, who have no other access to the road system (Littledene, West Firle, Heighton Street, Charleston, Alciston, Berwick and Folkington along with Wilmington and Milton Street whose southern access point at Long Bridge near Alfriston can be blocked by floods in winter). There is also the problem that all land south of the A27 is now part of the South Downs National Park so any alternative route has to go north which would cause problems at Selmeston and the section between Folkington and Polegate where the railway runs right up against the road.

as i recall the plan was for an all new road, or at least most of the way from Beddington, so the old road would remain for access. as you say a route to the south is now pretty much out of the question, but if you look at a map a road shadowing the railway would make an awful lot of sence and barely touches any existing properties. Berwick spoils this plan a little and have to start after Glynde though.

very good idea about a roundabout at Middle Farm, shudder to think how long it must take to get of the lane just before. actually, the road from Lewes to there isnt too bad so maybe the objective could be an improved single carriage way, bypasss Selmeston to the south might just get away with, veer north at Milton St to by pass Wilmington, cross the railway and shadow it before turning north to join the A22/A27 roundabout.

 

[portslade seagull]

Eventually they will have to build a dual carraigeway

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

It doesn't run right up against the road though. You can never actually see the trains. There's a fair amount of grass verge and hedge there.

The trees and hedges are now gone - they are a LOT closer than you think. Doesnt matter if you can see them or not - they are still there !!

 

[MissGull]

Well yes, but the road doesn't run right up against the track. It's not exactly spacious, probably enought to widen slightly tho?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It's all down to local MP Norman Baker not approving the upgrade to dual carriage way.
You can drive from Aberdeen to Lewes on motorway or dual carriageway but not the last bit to Eastbourne and the result is lots of accidents between Lewes and Eastbourne. I know people should be careful but until ESCC get away from the idea that a road improvement is to introduce a speed limit the carnage will continue

It's not an ESCC road. It's a Highways Agency road, funded and managed by central government.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It would be interesting to know the councils position as far as this is concerned.

To the best of my knowledge, East Sussex County Council has been supporting the principle of a dual carriageway between Lewes and Polegate for thirty-odd years. It's the government that have never given this project high priority in the national roads programme.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

as i recall the plan was for an all new road, or at least most of the way from Beddington, so the old road would remain for access. as you say a route to the south is now pretty much out of the question, but if you look at a map a road shadowing the railway would make an awful lot of sence and barely touches any existing properties. Berwick spoils this plan a little and have to start after Glynde though.

very good idea about a roundabout at Middle Farm, shudder to think how long it must take to get of the lane just before. actually, the road from Lewes to there isnt too bad so maybe the objective could be an improved single carriage way, bypasss Selmeston to the south might just get away with, veer north at Milton St to by pass Wilmington, cross the railway and shadow it before turning north to join the A22/A27 roundabout.

That's broadly the scheme that was the subject of public consultation in the early 1990s. The problem was that the plans were so heavily over-engineered that the costs were prohibitive and the opposition was enormous.

Locally, in Firle, for example, where there is already the old A27 running parallel to the new A27, there was no support for a "third A27" alongside what is already there.

The other issue with a segregated dual carriageway, with local traffic confined to the current A27, is that this still leaves a high volume of traffic using the existing road - and does nothing to address the road safety issues on that road.

 

[Notters]

They'll never make it a dual carriageway, due to the National Park status. Great point made above about Newhaven though. It's the closest channel port to London and with a decent road link and investment in catamarans and port infrastructure (admittedly A LOT of investment) it could be a major port.

 

[glasfryn]

Here's an idea, slow down and concentrate on driving rather than enjoying the view

see I can enjoy the view as I don't drive

 

[Gazwag]

The money they have spent over the years trying to sort out (and failing) the mile or so up to the Polegate traffic lights should have been spent on a new road from the end of the (as I call it) Long Man Straight across the railway line to meet the roundabout.

 

[theboybilly]

Will we ever learn? All this talk of another dual-carriageway will just move the problem further along, that's how this works. This morning, at 7.30, I left my house in Shoreham for an 8.30 appointment in Littlehampton. I took my time and didn't get over 30mph until I hit the dual-carriageway past Ferring on the A259. People were flying past me only to get held up at every roundabout or set of traffic lights. In all that journey I did not stop once, not a single time, and was always making decent headway. I got to my destination at 8.05 totally unstressed (Classic FM always helps in the car)
The answer for your journey along the A27 is simple: get up in plenty of time, drive responsibly at a decent speed (not 70mph or more) and don't tailgate. If everybody did that we wouldn't need half of this unnecessary and costly roadbuilding which only get's the go-ahead for the benefit of the selfish road lobby.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Well yes, but the road doesn't run right up against the track. It's not exactly spacious, probably enought to widen slightly tho?

The line speed on the railway line (as of Monday morning anyway) will become 90mph. If you had a train derail - it will probably take out whatever is on the road too. Then there is the risk of vehicles coming into the railway line - you can put barriers there all you like - if you get a HGV onto that train line in front of a 90mph train - then there would be a high amount of fatalities.

Polegate - Folkington isn't really the trouble spot anyway and the road and railway move away from each other fairly soon after Polegate.