A new £50million bypass in West Sussex has opened in a bid to revolutionise connectivity between two popular seaside towns. Historically, traffic regularly built up between Lyminster and Wick, two villages situated between Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. However, the council believes the new Lyminster Bypass will significantly end the traffic chaos.
The bypass, spanning 1.8km, is linked to the provision of 1,260 new homes in the area, and the project was delivered by West Sussex County Council and Jackson Civil Engineering, with partial funding from the Department for Transport. Upon announcing the project, former Transport Minister Baroness Vere said in 2021: “Local residents deserve quicker, easier and more reliable journeys in and out of Littlehampton and around West Sussex, and that’s exactly what this scheme will deliver, along with new jobs, houses and safer and better journeys for cyclists and pedestrians.”
The “important new road” aims to support local communities and improve connectivity between towns, according to Councillor Joy Dennis, cabinet member for highways and transport at West Sussex County Council (WSCC).
“It will make it much easier to reach Littlehampton and Bognor Regis from the A27 by taking heavy traffic away from Lyminster and Wick villages,” she added.
In 2021, the Department of Transport contributed a hefty £11.8m to the project, projecting the overall cost to be £31.4m. However, the bypass has cost a total of around £50m.
The new road is one of the UK’s first crossings to accommodate horse riders, pedestrians, cyclists and farm traffic all in the same location. A combined footpath and cycle lane runs along the side of the road, providing access to those on foot and in cars.
The roadway officially opened on May 9 after a delay in Autumn last year due to “bad weather”.
The bypass has been constructed on a flood plain, boasting a 225-metre viaduct to counteract any potential increases to water levels.
Rather than using a standard bridge, engineers from main contractor Jackson Civil Engineering opted for the viaduct to better withstand future flood risks and climate change impacts.
The viaduct is made up of 96 foundation piles which are drilled into chalk beneath the ground, supported by 121 concrete beams.
