Action to manage summer rush of beachgoers heading to West Wittering

A busy day at West Wittering beach. Photo by Derek Martin

The West Wittering Estate (WWE) is proposing a number of measures to stop motorists trying to reach the beach diverting from the main access roads and using narrow single track roads instead.

An experimental traffic regulation order (TRO) will see a hard closure of the junction of the B2179 and Chapel Lane southbound and a soft closure of the junction of Acre Street with Piggery Hall Lane eastbound.

A number of signs at and near the junction of Pound Road with the B2179 are also being proposed.

The aim of these is to ease congestion and ‘facilitate and regularise access and egress from the West Wittering beach car park’.

The measures have been approved by West Sussex County Council’s director of law and assurance.

A spokesman for the WWE described how the proposals are the result of two years of hard work by residents, the county council and the estate.

The measures are only expected to be used between three and six times a year, and can be run in a dynamic manner if concerns are raised.

Feedback can be submitted during the experimental TRO, while the estate stressed this is ‘very much a temporary management system’ which can be taken in very quickly once they are no longer required.

The experimental TRO can only be in place for 18 months and then can be either made permanent or withdrawn.

According to council officers the proposals will only need to be implemented during the summer, at specific weekends and bank holidays or when the weather is fair.

The days and duration of operation will be determined by the WWE based on the weather forecast and projected parking demand.

Residents have raised concerns about the possible impact of the proposals on Piggery Hall Lane, which they argued could result in access issues and inappropriate parking.

Officers have included the hard closure of the junction of Piggery Hall Lane and the B2179 southbound in the TRO but this can only be activated if there is ‘robust evidence’ of demonstrable and significant road safety issues.