Beddingham Crossing

[Seagull73]

OH MY GOD!!

After two years of torture commuting from Eastbourne to Brighton, it is finally over!!! What a breeze this morning - I'm so happy!!!

Sorry, just had to share that with all of you.

 

[steward 433]

Still gonna get held up going home a bit though surely?

 

[Skint Gull]

And on time as well, that must be a first

 

[Scoffers]

any pics of what they have done there?

 

[Box of Frogs]

Fine going in towards Lewes this morning as it is two lanes but the return is still only single lane. What a waste of an opportunity - should have been two lanes both ways.

 

[Skint Gull]

Fine going in towards Lewes this morning as it is two lanes but the return is still only single lane. What a waste of an opportunity - should have been two lanes both ways.

Especially seeing as at rush hour in the evening probably a good 1/3 of traffic turns down towards Newhaven! Rather than funnelling 3 lanes into one at Southerham why couldn't they just have 2 until the Newhaven roundabout where most of the traffic would sort itself out anyway!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'll judge how successful it is when I can drive off the Lewes by-pass and onwards towards Beddingham at 5.45pm without having to queue.

They seem to have built the scheme without all of the left-turn priority "jet-lanes" at Southerham that were originally promised.

Us folk at Firle are already suffering from the increase in traffic volumes and traffic speeds that effectively prevent a safe right-turn out of the side roads and on to the A27. Everything was so much easier (really!) when the level crossing slowed the traffic down and created great gaps in the traffic flows. We need new junction arrangements here, just like they are currently building at the Glynde turning.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

When the whole scheme is finished, it will be interesting to see how much longer the queues become into and out of Lewes, through the Cuilfail tunnel, as traffic to and from the east switches from the route through Ringmer to the A27.

 

[Box of Frogs]

I'll judge how successful it is when I can drive off the Lewes by-pass and onwards towards Beddingham at 5.45pm without having to queue.

They seem to have built the scheme without all of the left-turn priority "jet-lanes" at Southerham that were originally promised.

Us folk at Firle are already suffering from the increase in traffic volumes and traffic speeds that effectively prevent a safe right-turn out of the side roads and on to the A27. Everything was so much easier (really!) when the level crossing slowed the traffic down and created great gaps in the traffic flows. We need new junction arrangements here, just like they are currently building at the Glynde turning.

Exactly what are they doing at that turning - the whole thing is wider? Are they putting in traffic lights or summat?

 

[Seagull73]

Exactly what are they doing at that turning - the whole thing is wider? Are they putting in traffic lights or summat?

No, they are putting an island in the middle, so if you come out of Glynde, turning right towards Beddingham, it's a two-stage turning (because there is no break in traffic now). It also allows the traffic to flow Westbound, because there will be a turning island.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

No, they are putting an island in the middle, so if you come out of Glynde, turning right towards Beddingham, it's a two-stage turning (because there is no break in traffic now). It also allows the traffic to flow Westbound, because there will be a turning island.

As campaigned for by the Seagulls Party in TWO elections. I reckon I got more votes on this issue that I did on the Falmer Stadium thing.

10 August 2006 - Seagulls Party Candidate welcomes Government Commitment to safer junctions at Glynde

Seagulls Party by-election candidate, Ed Bassford, today welcomed the government's announcement that the A27 Beddingham crossing scheme will include a proposal that he put forward at last year's Public Inquiry.

The scheme, which received government approval on 8 August, will include provisions for junction improvements at Glynde, as well as a bridge over the railway at Beddingham. The Glynde turning improvements will be necessary to help local traffic safely join the A27 Polegate - Lewes road, once traffic speeds and volumes increase with the removal of the tailbacks to the existing level crossing.

Ed also welcomed the government's promise that the Highways Agency would consider whether similar improvements could be provided for the side roads in Firle.

Commenting on the announcement by Secretaries of State Ruth Kelly and Douglas Alexander, Ed Bassford said:- 'This news will be welcomed by local people who have been living with long traffic queues at Beddingham for years. The new bridge will undoubtedly have an impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. But it is gratifying that Ruth Kelly and her colleague have recognised that it is important to strike the right balance between protecting the AONB and meeting the needs of people in Sussex. I will continue to argue the case for Glynde and Firle as details of the proposed scheme become available'.

News from The Seagulls Party

 

[Seagull73]

It seems to take them a hell of a long time to widen a junction. 22 weeks seems a really excessive amount of time. But, I'm not a road-builder, so I couldn't possibly be in the know.

 

[Storer68]

When the whole scheme is finished, it will be interesting to see how much longer the queues become into and out of Lewes, through the Cuilfail tunnel, as traffic to and from the east switches from the route through Ringmer to the A27.

Not on a Saturday afternoon surely?

 

[steward 433]

It seems to take them a hell of a long time to widen a junction. 22 weeks seems a really excessive amount of time. But, I'm not a road-builder, so I couldn't possibly be in the know.

The road widening is the easy part. It will be the surface water drains which will have to be moved which will take up most of the time.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

Not on a Saturday afternoon surely?

Actually, yes! And on Sundays too since the entire world seems to think there's something pleasant about spending the weekend sitting in a car with only Eastbourne as a reward.

 

[The Oldman]

I can confirm that this lunch time the queues eastwards at the Southerham roundabout were as big as ever. Did everyone drive out for a look at this wonder of civil engineering?

Why the heck was this scheme spoilt by not making the eastbound section 2 lane?

 

[Scoffers]

I can confirm that this lunch time the queues eastwards at the Southerham roundabout were as big as ever. Did everyone drive out for a look at this wonder of civil engineering?

Why the heck was this scheme spoilt by not making the eastbound section 2 lane?

I assume it cost too much, although making that double lane would just move the queue further up, wouldn't it?

 

[Marc]

gonna cut times down when venturing over to Arlington for some V8 Stock Car action...BRILLIANT!

 

[The Oldman]

I assume it cost too much, although making that double lane would just move the queue further up, wouldn't it?

QUOTE=Skint Gull;2546225]Especially seeing as at rush hour in the evening probably a good 1/3 of traffic turns down towards Newhaven! Rather than funnelling 3 lanes into one at Southerham why couldn't they just have 2 until the Newhaven roundabout where most of the traffic would sort itself out anyway![/QUOTE]

I agree with Skint Gull. The traffic turning off at the A26 for Newhaven/Seaford (which includes a lot of slow lorry traffic for the landfill and Newhaven Harbour) reduces the onward eastbound A27 traffic so 2 lanes there would not be such a slow down.

 

[lighthouse]

I reckon I got more votes on this issue that I did on the Falmer Stadium thing.

Glad you didn't say that at the time!