Arun councillor to be immortalised through naming of bypass bridge

Tony Squires passed away in April last year after decades serving constituents of Arun district and Littlehampton town councils.

Now a new bridge being built as part of the Lyminster bypass will be named the Tony Squires Bridge following a request from his long-time friend Mike Northeast.

Mike represented Wickbourne ward for Littlehampton Town Council with Tony for 30 years, describing him as a ‘friend and mentor’.

“Tony as a councillor was well-loved by the people that he represented,” said Mike who, like Tony, is a Labour councillor.

“He did a hell of a lot for the town. I just thought it would be a fitting tribute for Tony to remember him in some special way.

“Most of Tony’s councillor life he went on about a Lyminster bypass being needed to link the A259 and A27.

“He also worked on the railways for many years, so I thought it was fitting to name the railway bridge after him.”

Mike said the bridge, which will cross over the railway line as part of the southern section of the bypass, would become an ‘iconic’ structure over time.

Tony’s connection to the railways stretches back to his time as a train guard. He was on duty during the Purley Railway Station crash in Croydon in 1989, Mike said, helping to get injured passengers to safety.

According to Arun District Council’s website, construction on the bridge over the railway is set to begin next month.

The long-awaited Lyminster bypass will connect the A259 with the A27 to east congestion on the A284.

The southern section, which will include the Tony Squires Bridge, is being provided by Persimmon Homes as part of the Hampton Park development off Toddington Lane.