Arundel cycle path

Arundel Station Cycle-path.

I have heard over the last month from many residents regarding the new cycle path from the Causeway roundabout to the Railway station, the roadworks that caused road chaos at the beginning of September, the runaway budget from £96k to approaching £300k and the disjointed working where one section was finished in May and the second section had to wait until September have generated derision and anger.,

I as well as Arundel Town Council will have to hold the County Councils feet to the fire regarding the budget overrun and the inconvenience caused, but to be fair to the County Council the specification has had to be changed a number of times at the insistence of Highways England (wider paths etc) and with all the various parties (Arundel Community Partnership, Network Rail, Highways England, WSCC, South Downs National Park, Arundel Town Council, Lyminster Parish Council and Arun) it's not surprising that agreement has been so slow and implementation even slower.

But I am sure that when it is all finished it will make a real difference to commuters (walking and cycling) alike and residents will embrace it as a real improvement.

Delivering projects like these in our increasingly complicated society with all the issues like EU procurement rules, transparent governance, Health and Safety only make these projects very very complicated, some may say why bother, but this whole project was conceived by Mike De Lara the former Chairman of the Arundel Community Partnership and they beavered away gaining support of all the relevant parties. So congratulations to ACP.

I am told that the idea was originally Heather De-Laras and there is a proposal to call it Heathers way, I can't think of a better name! But maybe you could? Suggestions on a postcard (or email) to the Town Council  admin@arundeltowncouncil.gov.uk.

Until next month

Paul Dendle is Arundel Ward and Cabinet Member on Arun District Council. Email. Cllr.paul.dendle@arun.gov.uk