A27 at Chichester ‘being used as a racing track’

Letter from: Alan Carn, Whyke Road, Chichester
Chichester A27Chichester A27
Chichester A27

During this unprecedented period of limited movement, many of us have spent longer periods in our gardens. A pastime of peace and tranquillity; except for the A27.

Over the period of lockdown it seems that drivers and motorcyclists have taken to using the Chichester bypass as a racetrack. Our peace is being constantly shattered by noisy vehicles being driven at their maximum rate of acceleration between the roundabouts around the city.

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We are being subjected to gratuitous noise pollution, and the nature of this noise suggests that speed limits are being flouted. Certain patterns of noise and gear changing indicate that the same few vehicles might be simply ‘joy riding’ up and down this stretch of road.

Crossing the pedestrian bridge at the Hunston Road roundabout last Sunday I observed the same small sports car driving at high speed in a westerly direction, returning in the same manner in the opposite easterly direction within the time it took to cross the bridge. Though worse at weekends, this is rapidly becoming a daily problem.

We seem to have swapped the constant background hum of the bypass for the shrieking acceleration of a few lunatic drivers who can only indulge in this antisocial behaviour because of the clearer roads.

The problem might become less acute as traffic volumes return to normal, but any ‘upgrading’ of the A27 which would increase capacity might enable and encourage this type of driving to continue.

I have voiced my concerns to the police, but disappointingly they have not responded.

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