West Sussex County Council invests £420,000 in road safety and travel projects
Lane rental funds to enhance safety and reduce roadwork disruption
West Sussex County Council is directing over £420,000 into projects designed to promote active travel, minimise roadwork disruption, and enhance safety for highway workers.
The funding, sourced from the council’s ‘lane rental scheme’, aims to encourage contractors to innovate in minimising the traffic impact of roadworks.
Surplus lane rental income is allocated to initiatives that improve the road network and journey experiences for West Sussex’s road users.
Councillor Erika Woodhurst-Trueman, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, explained the scheme’s emphasis on efficient contractor practices and its benefits.
"The Lane Rental Scheme is all about keeping highway network disruption to a minimum," Woodhurst-Trueman stated.
"Money raised through the scheme is then reinvested into projects that make our communities safer and improve the highway network for everyone who uses it."
One funded project will address the abuse highway workers face in West Sussex by trialing safety measures such as site-wide CCTV, clear signage, and varied screening to better separate workers from the public.
Feedback from the trial will inform policies and practices enhancing staff safety.
Funding is also allocated to the South Downs National Park Authority's Centurion Way extension, a shared route supporting sustainable travel.
The project aims to extend the path from West Dean to the South Downs Way at Cocking, establishing a 16.9km accessible route linking various travel options.
The third initiative provides Southern Gas Networks with technology to help locate gas leaks efficiently, reducing roadwork disruption.
Cllr Erika Woodhurst-Trueman reiterated the commitment to worker safety and innovation in road management.
"Our highways staff work hard every day to keep West Sussex moving... we're committed to doing all we can to keep them safe, and this funding will help us explore new ways of doing that."
For more details on the lane rental scheme, visit West Sussex County Council’s website.