Worthing resident blasts ‘absolutely reckless’ parking around primary school

The Rectory Gardens resident said she has lived there for 25 years and while the build-up of cars was always bad, it had got ‘a hell of a lot worse’ since the introduction of cycle lanes on the A24 Broadwater Road.

Parents of children at nearby Broadwater CE Primary School and Bohunt Worthing used to park in Broadwater Green, she said, but those spaces have now been taken up by the controversial new lane.

Vehicles now cram Rectory Gardens, she said, parked across driveways and making the road so narrow emergency vehicles could struggle to get through.

The resident said: “I am just concerned a kid’s going to get knocked over here, or there will be an accident of some sort and the ambulance or emergency services won’t be able to get through.”

She said the removal of parking spaces in Broadwater Green, and the creation of the A24 cycle lane generally, was ‘absolutely reckless’.

The cycle lane was installed by West Sussex County Council as part of a government scheme to promote cycling following a resurgence during lockdown.

But critics have argued the increased congestion and potential damage to the town centre economy outweighs any benefits.

A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: “We welcome all feedback on the Government-funded, trial cycleways and will be reviewing residents’ and other stakeholders’ comments on each scheme on a rolling basis during October and November. This will include looking at positive or negative impacts on traffic congestion and any parking issues.

“We would be concerned if a pop-up cycleway caused an unacceptable delay for the emergency services, which is why we hold weekly meetings with the ambulance, police and fire and rescue services to discuss any issues they may have with the schemes and look at where any improvements need to be made.”