The new Lyminster bypass – which cost roughly £49.87m – is now open, allowing for ‘faster and more convenient journeys’ between Littlehampton and Bognor Regis.
The 1.8km bypass, which is built on a floodplain, was constructed along with a 225-metre viaduct in place of a standard bridge across Black Ditch, with the hope of ‘future-proofing’ the new road.
The route features a Pegasus crossing that allows horse riders, pedestrians, cyclists and farm traffic to cross the road at the same point - one of the first of its kind in the UK to allow all four.
It also includes a shared footpath and cycle lane that provides ‘a safe and convenient route’ into Littlehampton.
Both public and private funding went into the scheme, with the southern section being funded and completed by the developer of the new Hampton Park housing development and the northern section being jointly funded by West Sussex County Council and the Department for Transport (DfT).
West Sussex County Council contributed £31.32m to the construction costs, with DfT adding a further £11.79m.
The county council worked with Jackson Civil Engineering to design and build the northern section that sits within the floodplain. To build the viaduct, 96 foundation piles were drilled through soft ground into the chalk base to support 121 horizontal concrete beams that each weigh up to 55 tonnes.
During construction, £2.7m was saved by using a soil mixing technique to improve the strength of an area of poor-quality soil.
Steve Horton, Jackson’s regional director, said: ‘One of the most significant challenges of working on this floodplain was the structure of the underlying soils. This area is made up of ancient riverbeds that have silted up over time.
‘The design and construction involved the implementation of various techniques to consolidate and strengthen the soils so that the road can be properly maintained in the future.’
Cllr Joy Dennis, West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport said: ‘We’re delighted that the new bypass is open to traffic. It’s going to dramatically reduce the volume of traffic travelling through Lyminster and Wick villages and will make it much easier for walkers and cyclists as well as drivers to get to and from Littlehampton.
‘We first presented the business case for this important addition to the West Sussex highways network as part of our Council Plan in 2015. It’s wonderful to see how all the consultation, planning, modelling and community engagement has resulted in such an expertly constructed road with so much care taken to protect the natural environment on this part of the Sussex coastal plain.’
Future of roads minister, Lilian Greenwood said: ‘This is a great day for West Sussex. The Lyminster Bypass is a brilliant example of how strategic infrastructure investment supports communities, unlocks new housing, and helps local economies thrive.'
The new bypass is also expected to boost the local economy, thanks to the provision of better access from the A27 into Littlehampton, as well as the Hampton Park development which includes 1,260 new homes.
Cllr Paul Marshall, leader of West Sussex County Council said: ‘As part of our Council Plan, we are committed to developing large-scale infrastructure necessary to support economic growth well into the future, while also protecting what makes West Sussex such an attractive place to live and work.
‘This new bypass, that has been carefully planned at every stage to both connect local businesses and communities and protect the natural environment, is a clear example of our ambition in practice.’
