Northern bypass campaigners scored '˜massive own goal for West Sussex' by getting Chichester A27 scheme dropped, MP Herbert says

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert has expressed his dismay that the Chichester improvement scheme has been cancelled, describing it as '˜a massive own goal for West Sussex'.
Arundel & South Downs MP Nick HerbertArundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert
Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert

Yesterday Transport Secretary Chris Grayling wrote to the chief executive of Highways England to say that he was cancelling the Chichester scheme ‘after the withdrawal of support by the local councils for the shortlisted options and significant local campaigns’. Full story here.

Mr Herbert said: “I am dismayed by this announcement, although reassured that the Arundel Bypass will proceed as planned.

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“Those who campaigned against the improvements to the A27 southern Chichester bypass have inflicted a massive own-goal on West Sussex.

“By lobbying for an unfeasible northern bypass, and undermining the process, they have effectively lost £200 million of infrastructure investment in the area, while road users will continue to face appalling congestion around Chichester.

“I warned that this would happen if the opposition continued and I am very sorry that it has.

“I will do my best to support my colleague Andrew Tyrie in lobbying for the Government to restore the scheme in future, but I’m afraid that we have learned the hard way that negative political manoeuvring has a serious cost”.

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