Cycling UK Forum

One to avoid. On the A27 just west of Chichester. The only way I could follow my track over this monster was to turn left and cycle 200yds then wait for a break in the traffic and then cross to the other lane. Then approach the roundabout. I got there about 4pm as traffic was building. Every exit had traffic snarling to get across. You simply could not get out before traffic launched itself from the right. There was no verge to have escaped onto and no cycle paths. I've emailed Chichester council about this brute. It'll be interesting to hear what they have to say.

Could you not have avoided using the A27 there?
Looking at the map, there seem to be alternatives.

Nonetheless, a monster of a roundabout!

Mick, from the route marked, the OP was trying to cross the A27, not follow it.

Mick F wrote:Could you not have avoided using the A27 there?
Looking at the map, there seem to be alternatives.

Nonetheless, a monster of a roundabout!

I think UKdodger was indeed trying to avoid the A27. His marked route comes down a local road, crosses the A27, then continues along the A259 towards Fishbourne (or it might have been the other way round). At any rate, opportunities for crossing the A27 are limited - I know that stretch well (to drive along: not to cycle on!) and that section is, simply, a rash of roundabouts - no overpasses or underpasses that I know of.

I can't think of a cyclist-friendly quick fix, even if I had carte blanche, gallons of paint, and the road closed...

661-Pete wrote:

Mick F wrote:Could you not have avoided using the A27 there?
Looking at the map, there seem to be alternatives.

Nonetheless, a monster of a roundabout!

I think UKdodger was indeed trying to avoid the A27. His marked route comes down a local road, crosses the A27, then continues along the A259 towards Fishbourne (or it might have been the other way round). At any rate, opportunities for crossing the A27 are limited - I know that stretch well (to drive along: not to cycle on!) and that section is, simply, a rash of roundabouts - no overpasses or underpasses that I know of

That's right. Coming from Chichester. I would have avoided it if at all possible had I known about it. It's the most dangerous road junction I've ever come across. Twice I attempted to get out and both times traffic from the right honked and cut me off almost immediately. I want to hear what the local council has to say because sooner or later and maybe there already has been or will be a serious accident involving a cyclist.

ukdodger wrote:I want to hear what the local council has to say because sooner or later and maybe there already has been or will be a serious accident involving a cyclist.

I think the A27 is a trunk road and that makes it the responsibility of the Highways Agency. May be worth sending your email to them.

It's a long time since I've been down that way - we used to have family friends at West Wittering. Looking at Google maps & StreetView it looks like there is an alternative without too many complications, although the StreetView images are 2009 so things may have changed. Google bicycle routing gives the following:-


which uses a shared use path under the A27 joining Fishbourne Road W with Fishbourne Road E (I presume that is the old pre-A27 Fishbourne Road route) & crosses the railway line on a pedestrian only crossing (Again presumably a former through route for cars. I didn't get a route from to/from further into Chichester as the best route may depend on whereabouts in the town you want to get to/from (the A259 or Westgate/West St look like they might be possible routes).

Does that help at all?

Rick

I was meaning not to use that particular roundabout on the A27.

I see how it is impossible to cross the A27 though!
Chichester is an inaccessible island approaching from the south.
It never used to be like that. I was last cycling through Chichester in the 1980s

.

Bicycler wrote:

ukdodger wrote:I want to hear what the local council has to say because sooner or later and maybe there already has been or will be a serious accident involving a cyclist.

I think the A27 is a trunk road and that makes it the responsibility of the Highways Agency. May be worth sending your email to them.

Thanks. I will.

RickH wrote:It's a long time since I've been down that way - we used to have family friends at West Wittering. Looking at Google maps & StreetView it looks like there is an alternative without too many complications, although the StreetView images are 2009 so things may have changed. Google bicycle routing gives the following:-

chichester route.JPG

which uses a shared use path under the A27 joining Fishbourne Road W with Fishbourne Road E (I presume that is the old pre-A27 Fishbourne Road route) & crosses the railway line on a pedestrian only crossing (Again presumably a former through route for cars. I didn't get a route from to/from further into Chichester as the best route may depend on whereabouts in the town you want to get to/from (the A259 or Westgate/West St look like they might be possible routes).

Does that help at all?

Rick

Thanks that's useful to know. It's not a route I habitually use just part of a tour. I'll amend my track. What surprises me is that Garmins Mapsource (set to 'bicycle') didnt choose the path you've shown.

gaz wrote:It is indeed a Highways Agency road: http://www.highways.gov.uk/wp-content/u ... gif?9d7bd4

ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Good Luck.

No doubt Chichester council will let me know that too. Cheers for the email. I'm very good at complaining.

RickH wrote:which uses a shared use path under the A27 joining Fishbourne Road W with Fishbourne Road E (I presume that is the old pre-A27 Fishbourne Road route) & crosses the railway line on a pedestrian only crossing (Again presumably a former through route for cars. I didn't get a route from to/from further into Chichester as the best route may depend on whereabouts in the town you want to get to/from (the A259 or Westgate/West St look like they might be possible routes).

Wow, I think I've actually used that when I stayed at 82 Fishbourne (which was pretty good, but that was years ago). If I remember correctly, it's a bit of a narrow underpass and if you hadn't been told about it, it may be fairly easy to miss if you were riding along the road because a shared use path crosses it just in front of the underpass and runs alongside the road to the next traffic island (so you might think it was just a feeder to a crap cycle track), while the cycle route direction sign for Chichester is too far away from the road to be read from the road.

I think the underpass has fencing and bollards so I don't know whether a trike would fit and it may still be good to have a decent open crossing of the A27.

RickH wrote:It's a long time since I've been down that way - we used to have family friends at West Wittering. Looking at Google maps & StreetView it looks like there is an alternative without too many complications, although the StreetView images are 2009 so things may have changed. Google bicycle routing gives the following:-

The attachment chichester route.JPG is no longer available

which uses a shared use path under the A27 joining Fishbourne Road W with Fishbourne Road E (I presume that is the old pre-A27 Fishbourne Road route) & crosses the railway line on a pedestrian only crossing (Again presumably a former through route for cars. I didn't get a route from to/from further into Chichester as the best route may depend on whereabouts in the town you want to get to/from (the A259 or Westgate/West St look like they might be possible routes).

Does that help at all?

Rick

That's the way I went in 2010.

Tall enough fences that it's really hard to discover the route from the road...