Scientists now predict that by the middle of the century our oceans will contain more plastic waste than fish, ton for ton.
Let’s do something about it.
Ask Brighton and Hove MPs to back a Plastic Pollution Action Plan.
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Our petition calling on the council to drastically improve recycling facilities on the seafront has now gathered over 600 signatures.
You can help the campaign by adding your name and sharing the petition with friends and family.
Can you help us reach 1,000 signatures?
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Don’t end up with something like this
Have your say! Respond to the A2300 consultation
Having just experienced West Sussex County Council’s (WSCC) indifference to towards walking and cycling on the New Monks Farm development, we shouldn’t really be surprised to see them at it again. This time WSCC is proposing to dual the A2300 from the A23 into Burgess Hill to support new development. They appear to only consider road building as a serious option, while public transport, walking and cycling are seen as add-ons and consequently don’t ever deliver much. It’s the classic ‘predict and provide’ approach that just fuels traffic growth, congestion and a low quality environment.
What is most shocking, though, is how sub-standard, dangerous and unattractive the proposals are for people who want to walk and cycle. The shared path alongside the road will do little to alleviate traffic levels in and around Burgess Hill and we suspect that some cyclists will still use the road, even a 70mph road, because it is so bad. Just producing maps and drawing lines on them showing routes for people to walk and cycle is meaningless unless the infrastructure provided is safe, easy and attractive to use. This is none of these.
We are urging people to take a few minutes to object to these poor quality and dangerous facilities.
The survey is quite short and you don’t have to fill in all your personal details except for a postcode. Deadline is midnight, Sunday 28 October.
These are some issues and thoughts on the proposed pedestrian and cycle infrastructure being proposed alongside the A2300:
- The scheme does not conform to the National Planning Policy Framework which says that pedestrian and cycle movements should be given priority (para 110) – here they are just an afterthought
- The shared path is too narrow (at 2.5m wide) – it should be at least 3 metres wide to meet latest standards
- The path is unsafe as it has too many crossings of high speed junctions, made worse by the 70 mph speed limit. No help is given to people crossing these roads
- There are too many sharp bends at crossing points and no slips (easy access points) onto the path near the A23, at Stairbridge Lane or Cuckfield Road – this will cause cyclists to have to swerve into the traffic to get onto and off the shared path
- Several quieter roads (good for cycling) would be severed by these proposals with no help given to pedestrians or cyclists to cross the A2300 – Stairbridge Lane to Pookbourne Lane, Bishopstone Lane and Cuckfield Road
- The path under the retained overbridge is right next to the 70mph road. This is dangerous – the central reservation should be reduced and or the road moved across to provide the required 3 metre separation between road and path
- Some cyclists will be tempted to still use the road (even at 70mph) because the path is so poor (a measure of success in terms of design would be to provide a facility that encourages all cyclists to use it)
- The Cuckfield Road roundabout should be redesigned to open up easy access for walking and cycling (from all directions) and with speed limits reduced
- The path should have a sealed surface (tarmac)
- The proposed new roundabout at the eastern end (not part of this scheme but to be provided for by developers) is not fit for purpose and needs redesigning to properly accommodate cycling.
Feel free to use or adapt these points in your response, or just tell them to go back to the drawing board. Maybe we can shame them into providing something better! You can also email your comments to them directly: a2300@westsussex.gov.uk
You can find out more about the proposals here
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Unfortunately. all the places to see A Plastic Ocean on 6 November have all been taken.
We expect some cancellations so if you’d like to go on the waiting list please send an email to bandhfoe@gmail.com and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.
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On 6 November we’re showing ‘A Plastic Ocean’; a fascinating documentary about the truth of plastic pollution in our seas and oceans.
Free entry but book your place before they’ve all gone.
A PLASTIC OCEAN begins when journalist Craig Leeson, searching for the elusive blue whale, discovers plastic waste in what should be pristine ocean.
Join Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth at St Augustine’s for a screening of this adventure documentary, as Craig teams up with free diver Tanya Streeter and an international team of scientists and researchers to travel to 20 locations around the world. Together they explore the fragile state of our oceans, uncover alarming truths about plastic pollution, and reveal working solutions that can be put into immediate effect.
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Too often do planning authorities have a jaundiced view on transport. South Coast Alliance for Transport and Environment, an alliance that campaigns for a better transport system and one to which BHFOE is part, offer an alternative.
Friday last week they released their integrated transport vision for Sussex, offer[ing] a new approach to help town and country along our beautiful coast.”
The wide range of measures proposed in the report include enhanced rail and public transport opportunities and improved facilities for cycling and walking.
New technology, it is pointed out, also has the potential to change the way transport is provided and used and recognises new homes and jobs need to be provided in locations served by enhanced public transport and attractive walking and cycling connections.
This balanced approach could help solve the well-known problems surrounding the A27 and support sustainable economic growth without the negative impact of extensive new road building.
Find out more about their positive vision here: SCATE A New Vision for Transport
To join in on our campaign to save the Sussex Pad Crossing follow this link, or contact SCATE for more opportunities to campaign for better transport.
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We’re disappointed with Adur District Council’s decision to approve the New Monks Farm development, which in turn will see the closure of the Sussex Pad crossing. But our campaign is far from over.
We still have a chance to save the Sussex Pad – or getting a better replacement – by asking the Government to review the council’s decision.
Can you spare 5 minutes to send a letter and help keep the campaign going?
Ask the Government to save the Sussex Pad
Please share with family, friends and colleagues and encourage them to act to.
Many thanks
Posted in Air Pollution, Development, South Downs National Park, Transport | Leave a Comment »
Over 1,600 people signed our petition to save the Sussex Pad crossing. Thanks to everyone for your support.
Can you spare 30 minutes to help keep the pressure up?
Tomorrow Adur District Council will decide the New Monks Farm development – and with it the fate of the Sussex Pad crossing of the A27.
We’ve organised a rally, to show our support for the Sussex Pad. Can you join us?
When: Wednesdays 3 October, 6.00-6.30pm
Where: Sir Robert Woodard Academy, Upper Boundstone Lane, Sompting, Lancing, BN15 9QZ.
We need good numbers to show the strength of feeling about the loss of the crossing and the lack of safe and attractive walking and cycling infrastructure.
If you are local, walking and cycling are the best way to get there. From further afield it’s a 19 min walk or a 5 minute cycle from Lancing station.
We hope to see you there!
Thanks for your support.
Chris and the rest of Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth
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The Sussex Pad is the best, safe road crossing of the A27 for cyclists for miles around. But now it’s under threat from the New Monks Farm development by the airport between Lancing and Shoreham. The application is being decided by Adur District Council on 3 October, but there is no sign that it is taking the loss of this crossing and indeed other sustainable transport issues seriously. West Sussex County Council and Highways England appear equally culpable in appearing to go along with these damaging proposals.
Local MPs from Worthing, Shoreham and Brighton & Hove have now joined the campaign to save the Sussex Pad crossing. We are very grateful to Tim Loughton, Peter Kyle, Caroline Lucas and Lloyd Russell-Moyle who have all written or spoken to Jesse Norman MP, a Transport Minister about the loss of this important crossing and urged him to intervene.
Please sign our petition to save the Sussex Pad.
We have also written a second substantial objection that has been supported by many other local organisations including: Bricycles, Brighton and Hove Cycling UK, Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth, Brighton Excelsior Cycling Club, Brighton Mitre Cycling Club, CTC local representatives, Horsham District Cycle Forum, Hovelo, Shoreham by Cycle, Sustrans Worthing Co-ordinator, VC Jubilee, West Sussex Cycle Forum, Worthing Cycle Forum. In addition, Sussex Ramblers and the British Horse Society have also expressed concern at the proposals.
In this objection we dispel many of the myths and misleading statements that were made about the crossing and its proposed replacements. We also strongly object to the fact that our previous objection was not properly reported to the planning committee and many of the issues we raised were not addressed by the committee reports or at the committee meeting.
Please sign our petition to save the Sussex Pad.
Posted in Development, South Downs National Park, Transport, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
We are urging anyone who cares about cycling or car free access to the National Park to object the loss of the Sussex Pad junction on the A27 between Shoreham and Lancing. On the weekend of 30 June and 1 July we counted nearly 900 cycles using the crossing (mostly on road) plus numerous groups of walkers and 3 horses. It is a well-used and much loved route out into the South Downs – send 2 emails today:
Act now before it’s too late!
Email the South Downs National Park Authority before 12 July – vicki.colwell@southdowns.gov.uk
Objection to SDNP/18/00434/FUL River Adur to Coombes Road Non Motorised Users Route
Use your own words to say:
- The Sussex Pad crossing is busy/well used – why it is important, etc
- The proposed alternative – a new bridleway in the National Park would be unsafe as it is too narrow to cope with the large groups of cyclists and walkers who currently use the Sussex Pad crossing.
- It is pretty pointless without a link south to the Tollbridge for which there are no sensible proposals. The current plans show an effective path width of only 2m which is far too narrow to be attractive, let alone safe. An effective path width of at least 4m is required.
- Anything else you want to add such as the surface needs to be suitable for road bikes, a grade separated junction at Sussex Pad would be better, etc
Remember to give your full name and postal address
Email Adur and Worthing Councils before 18 July – planning@adur-worthing.gov.uk & James.Appleton@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Objection to planning application: AWDM/0961/17 Land West of New Monks Farm, Mash Barn Lane, Lancing, West Sussex
Use your own words to say:
- The Sussex Pad crossing is busy/well used – why it is important, etc
- The proposed alternative – a new bridleway in the National Park and upgrading the footpath alongside the River Adur would be far too narrow to cope with the large groups of cyclists and walkers who currently use the Sussex Pad crossing plus existing users of the footpath. The plans show an effective path width of only 2m alongside the Adur which is far too narrow to be attractive, let alone safe. An effective path width of at least 4m is required.
- Anything else you want to add such as the surface needs to be suitable for road bikes, a grade separated junction at Sussex Pad would be better, etc
- That the main cycle access to the housing and Lancing is badly designed being routed through a bus stop and crossing lots of roads, making it off-putting and dangerous. Call for a new traffic free route south of the existing access road instead.
Remember to give your full name and postal address
If you live in the area, copy your objection to your local councillors: https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/councillors-and-mps/councillors-adur/
Thanks for your support!
Useful documents:
BHFOE & others letter of objection supported by Bricycles, Cycling UK representatives, Shoreham-By-Cycle, Sustrans Worthing Co-ordinator, The British Horse Society, West Sussex Cycle Forum, Worthing Cycle Forum
BHFOE New Monks Farm NMU Design Critique
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