Speed Limit: Bognor Regis - West Sussex County Council

Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport
A29 Shripney Road – Speed Limit
Bognor Regis Northern Relief Road
July 2012
Report by Director Communities and Infrastructure
and Service Manager for Engineering Solutions
Ref No:
HT04(12/13)
Key Decision:
Yes
Part I
Electoral
Divisions:
Bersted and
Bognor Regis
East
Executive Summary
Approval is sought to depart from the County Council’s Speed Limit Policy for a
section of A29 Shripney Road due to special circumstances relating to the
development of the relief road. The proposal is for approval to advertise a TRO
for a 40mph limit, whereas application of the current speed limit policy would
indicate that maintaining the existing 50mph limit is appropriate.
The current County Council Speed Limit Policy requires consideration of average
speeds and the amount of frontage development for speed limits in excess of
30mph. In this circumstance the measured average speeds will not be
representative of the finished state, as the new east/west relief road will not be
complete until late 2014. Another criterion under the policy for a 40mph limit is
for frontage development to be ‘partially built up’. Although in the early period
of operation this factor will not be compliant, outline planning permission has
already been granted for adjoining land and, in time, this criterion is expected to
be met.
Other mitigating factors include the presence of 15,000 vehicles per day, post
opening, which will include east/west traffic for the relief road changing lanes
with north/south traffic on A29.
Approval at this stage would enable public advertisement of the proposals with
the Western Arun County Local Committee (CLC) considering any objections.
Recommendation
That a departure from speed limit policy to enable advertisement of a 40mph
limit is approved and for the Western Arun CLC to consider any objections.
Subject to there being no objections after a formal advertisement, the Traffic
Regulation Order will be brought into operation.
1. Background
1.1 The development, known as Site 6, is a large residential development spread
over two areas of land at North Bersted and Felpham in Bognor Regis which
will result in over 1500 new properties being built over a number of years. To
mitigate the effects of the additional traffic generated by the new

development two new relief roads are being built at North Bersted and
Felpham.
1.2 As part of the detailed design of the roads and junctions associated with this
development consideration has also been given to speed limits on the
existing roads. Although not part of initial considerations, a 40 mph limit on
A29 Shripney Road has now been identified as being beneficial.
2. Proposals
2.1 The existing and proposed speed limits are as shown in Appendix A.
2.2 The proposal for a 40mph limit on A29 Shripney Road is assessed as falling
outside of the current County Council Speed Limit Policy and therefore
Cabinet Member approval is required to enable progress to public
advertisement of the proposal. If approved, and subsequently advertised,
the Western Arun CLC would consider any objections in making the decision.
Implementation would be undertaken by the developer.
3 Discussion
3.1 There are a number of factors which indicate that promoting a 40mph limit,
and therefore departing from policy in this instance, would be the appropriate
solution. These are set out below.
3.2 The criteria for setting speed limits above 30mph, within the current WSCC
Speed Limit policy, incorporates two principal factors; traffic speed and
character of the route.
3.3 Additional guidance is also given in the policy on minimum length of speed
limit (600m recommended, 400m exceptional). In this location the lengths
of existing 50mph limits would be separated into two sections by the new
roundabout, in lengths of 420m and 250m respectively. The existing limits
both to the north (Shripney village) and south (Rowan Way and Shripney
Road commercial and retail areas) are 40mph, and are proposed to remain
as such. Therefore to reduce the number of speed limit changes and to give
appropriate messages to drivers approaching built-up areas and junctions, a
40mph limit is proposed.
3.4 With regard to traffic speed, the road layout and traffic volume will change
considerably from the current layout once the relief road is fully open. it is
not therefore possible to gain any meaningful measure of traffic speeds until
the new roads are fully operational.
3.5 For a 40mph limit the route should have some frontage development and/or
frequent bends, junction or accesses with regular use indicating a degree of
potential conflict along the route. Although initial frontage development
could be considered to fall short of this requirement it is acknowledged that
outline planning permission has already been granted for more development
adjacent to this section of road, which will lead to increased levels of
development here in the near future.

3.6 As the road and junction layouts are changing significantly, it is not
appropriate to take into account existing accident rates in determining speed
limits here.
3.7 The section of A29 south of the new roundabout will have to cater for the
traffic flows for both the north/south movements on A29, and the east/west
movements for the new relief road. On this section it is anticipated that
there could be 15,000 vehicles per day and drivers on the east/west
movement will be changing lanes across the north/south movement. Lower
speeds would enable such a manoeuvre to be completed at greater safety.
3.8 Although consideration for a lower limit could be deferred until a future year
when more data about traffic speeds and frontage development is available,
it is considered preferable to implement the proposed change to the speed
limit as soon as possible. This would avoid confusion to drivers caused by
passing through multiple changes from 40 to 50 mph speed limits in such a
short length of road.
4. Consultation
4.1 The formal advertisement will give opportunity for full public consultation /
comment. In addition all stakeholders will be specifically invited to comment.
4.2 The local member for Bersted has indicated support.
4.3 During informal consultation Sussex Police have confirmed that they would
support such a proposal.
4.4 WSCC road safety auditor has indicated support.
5. Equality - Customer Focus Appraisal
5.1 The Cabinet Member decision to depart from the current Speed Limit Policy
does not need a Customer Focus Appraisal. However; if objections are
received during the formal advertisement process and the decision to
implement the TRO has to be made by the Western Arun CLC, a full
Customer Focus Appraisal will be undertaken at that time.
5.3 Though not actively promoting the requirements of the Public Sector Equality
Duty the proposal does not work against the stated aims as the proposal will
have a similar impact on all types of people and all classes of road users.
6. Resource Implications and Value for Money
6.1 The costs for implementation of the speed limit changes will be met by the
developer of the site.
6.2 For the reasons given in paragraphs 3.2 and 3.7 above, the proposal
contributes to improving road safety and encouraging transport choice by
making roads safer.

7. Risk Management Implications
7.1 The proposal to advertise a 40mph limit rather than maintain the existing
50mph limit aims to reduce the risk of accidents, and the severity of any
resulting casualties, by selecting a speed limit which drivers, in the main,
choose to comply with and which is deemed suits the conditions at that site
and on surrounding roads.
7.2 A 40mph limit is considered appropriate at this location due to the traffic flow
and characteristics of the local road layout. It is considered that this will
result in some greater constraint to higher speeds (than would a 50mph
limit) thereby reducing the risk and severity of casualties.
7.3 There is a risk that some drivers will ignore the limit and drive at higher
speeds. This is a risk with all speed limits and one which is reduced by
setting limits which are appropriate to the conditions (see section 3 above).
Further mitigating measures could be introduced by enforcement through
Sussex Police or additional signs and road markings to advise drivers of the
local risks.
7.4 A delay in consideration of a lower limit will result in the costs of
implementing a future decision being met by the County Council, rather than
the developer as is currently planned.
8. Crime and Disorder Act Implications
8.1 Sussex Police have been consulted and have confirmed they do not believe
there are any Crime and Disorder Act implications with regards to the
proposed 40 mph speed limit, other than any non-compliance type issues.
However, they do not consider these would be significant enough to abandon
the proposal to reduce the speed limit as these can be mitigated against
using the further measures described above.
9. Human Rights Act Implications
No Human Rights Act implications have been identified with regards to this
recommendation.
Tony Toynton
Director
Customers and Infrastructure
Peter Bradley
Service Manager
Engineering Solutions
Contact: Harvey Rogers 01243 777565
Background Papers
None.
Appendix A Existing and Proposed Speed Limits