A24 Alliance

Press Release

For Immediate Release 2 February 2003

At a packed meeting⁽²⁾ in Southwaters Leisure Center, local residents vowed to fight for a sane answer to the grief they experience living close to the A24.

Speaking after the meeting Gillian Hurst said: "despite atrocious Artic weather, residents local to the Worthing - Capel section of the A24 left their warm homes to voice their deep felt concerns about the road. We had a serious debate on how living with this road effects peoples lives".

"Amongst the wide range of opinions and views, was how one family has to dice with death in having to cross the dual carriageway so as to catch the Bus to do shopping in Horsham. On the other hand there was a commuter who found his journey time to work unacceptable and wanted a dual carriageway all the way to Capel. There were then the residents of Dial Post, who had battled for years with the County Council and their consultants for a underpass to link their severed communities".

Continuing Gillian Hurst said: "I was amazed there was so much common ground, with speaker after speaker concerned that the Council had not come clean. It was felt that the schemes in the pipeline really weren't about safety, but about increasing road capacity and speed. In fact the meeting sensed it was about creating a new regional highway that would encourage the car commuter, especially the long distance car commuter. The meeting felt it is these schemes which give rise to the greenfield housing developments that change the character of the English countryside".

Gillian Hurst concluded by saying: "It was clear from the number of residents who took the trouble to attend, that they are determined to see the A24 tamed, and as everyone was eager to meet again in a fortnights time that meeting will be in a larger venue, The Village Hall, Church Lane Southwater on Thursday 13 February at 7.30pm. Attending that meeting it is hoped will be representatives from national and regional organisations, CPRE, Transport 2000 and South Coast Against Roadbuilding (SCAR).

(1) The A24 Alliance was formed in January 2003 by a number of residents who live in the various villages and individual locations along the A24 from Dorking to Worthing.

(2) The A24 Alliance has been holding meetings since January with residents of the Villages along the length of the A24 to gauge opinion on the future role of the road.

Directions and details of the next few meeting can be found at: http://www.a24alliance.co.uk/