Poynings Fun Day

The Village Blacksmith Poynings
Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August, music, beer tent, stalls, bring-your-own-picnic:

  • 10:30am Fun run, junior fun run & sprint, cycle race, all at
    the Blacksmith’s Field;

  • 02:00pm Presentation of fun run awards at the Village Hall;
  • 02:30pm Tug-of-war, north versus south;
  • 03:00pm Children’s traditional races (egg & spoon, etc.);
  • 04:30pm Calling of raffle.

More here.

Cross the A283 and live! [update 3]

Bridleway crosses A283
The Shoreham Herald reports that work is about to begin on the new bridleway that will allow users of the Downs Link to avoid having to cross the A283.

David Barling, county councillor for Bramber Castle, said ..

The underpass scheme is intended to provide a much better and safer route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders by removing the need to cross the open A283 bypass, which is extremely dangerous, you usually take your life in your hands crossing at this point.

Edburton Contractors, working for West Sussex County Council, is programmed to begin initial clearance works [today]. Mr Barling explained:

This means having a look at the site and clearing scrub and trees or tree roots that may need removal along the highway verge. This initial phase will take a couple of weeks and then proper construction works will start on Monday, August 18, and it is hoped that these will last no more than four weeks to complete. The finished pathways will then be left to settle down for a couple of weeks more and then [be] fully open to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

More open access land

B&HCC release more open access land
The Argus reports:

Brighton and Hove City Council has created free public access to another 670 acres of Sussex downland. .. Five miles of new footpaths and bridleways have been created, meaning walkers on the Sussex Border Path can divert on to a route keeping them further away from busy roads. Works have involved installing gates and cutting a new path up a steep bank at Braypool. .. The surrounding landscape includes ancient burial mounds on top of Tegdown Hill, lynchet terraces .. and the Chattri monument.

Cross the A283 and live! [update 2]

Bridleway crosses A283
The Shoreham Herald reports that WSCC Rights of Way Committee has now agreed to the new bridleway that will allow users of the Downs Link to avoid having to cross the A283:

It will run close to the River Adur, passing under the A283 road bridge, through a field, across a ditch and through a wooded highway verge to rejoin the Downs Link at its existing crossing point. It adds 970m to the length of the route.

Cross the A283 and live! [update]

Bridleway crosses A283
The Shoreham Herald reports:

A new bridleway designed to make the Downs Link at Bramber safer is receiving wide support. West Sussex County Council is consulting on plans to create a new route, parallel to and under the A283, to avoid crossing the busy main road. Jon Perks, principal rights of way officer, has written to residents and landowners for comments on the £77,000 scheme, which should be returned by February 20. .. The new route would pass under the bridge that carries the A283 over the River Adur, 500m south-east of the existing crossing point. It would add about 970m to the route but it is thought the safety benefits outweigh the extra distance to travel, plus, the existing crossing point will remain open for ‘confident’ cyclists and others who wish to take a more direct route. Part of the land is owned by the Crown Estate, which has said it will not raise objection. The track on the south side of the A283 is shared by the county council and a private landowner and both are willing to dedicate it as a bridleway.

£2 towards cycle path

Henfield Business Park

Henfield Business Park

The West Sussex County Times reports:

Councillors have granted a business developer approval to reduce its transport contributions from thousands of pounds to just £2. .. Brian O’Connell (Con: Henfield) said the county council’s transport contribution demand was ‘ridiculous’. .. One of the county council’s requests was to create a cycle path from Woodmancote to Henfield, which Mr O’Connell laughed at the prospect of. .. Brian Donnelly (Con Pulborough and Coldwaltham) said: “I’ve got a bad feeling about this, we could get it wrong. Cycle paths are a total waste of money, but this site will be adding to cars on the road, so there should be a transport charge. I don’t understand why the mechanics went so wrong.”