Winter is coming - salt bins are being filled.

The Local Highway Operations teams are in the process of refilling the salt bins and delivering hippo salt bags to communities across the county. 

To find out more about salt bins, please visit Salt bins - West Sussex County Council. 

There are 19 gritting routes across the county and these can be found on our website Gritting routes - West Sussex County Council.

From late November 2022 we will be changing the process for reporting road and pavement issues, replacing it with mobile device friendly eforms.

The benefit of the new process is that your reports will be automatically uploaded into our Highways Case Management System and assigned to the right team. 

Customers who would normally make reports using Love West Sussex will receive a pop-up message signposting them to the correct eform for the issue being reported.

Other benefits include a more detailed and accurate interactive map to improve location reporting. The map will feature all current reported issues and status for the type of issue you are reporting for example potholes, flooding or overgrown vegetation. Customers can receive status updates by providing their email address.

Across West Sussex, signs and lines will be easier to read and more visible on numerous roads in 2022 and 2023.

On routes chosen by the local area highway teams, all signs and highway furnishings will be cleaned, and vegetation will be removed.

We are also in the third year of a three-year public realm makeover. With a focus on all parts of the highway, including resurfacing worn lines, restoring damaged signposts, and trimming back vegetation, we are trying to enhance and improve the highway corridor.

27 areas have already begun work on road markings, and signage will follow soon. The places are distributed equally throughout the county.

For more information about road markings and signs, including how to report problems, click here 

Ash dieback is an extremely destructive disease and is predicted to kill up to 95% of the ash trees in this country.

Last year, 1500 trees were removed from A and B roads in West Sussex and we are planning on removing a further 2000 this year.

Felling works scheduled, subject to factors such as severe weather:

• A281 - Eastbound and Westbound, Rudgwick to Broadbridge Heath, until 8 November: temporary traffic lights at various specific locations between 9am and 4pm

For more information then visit West Sussex County Council Ash Dieback Action Plan.

To find out how the County Council care and preserve trees then visit our website.

For homeowners and landowners, the Tree Council have created a printable Ash Dieback Guide.

 A selection of the many major projects  happening in West Sussex during 2022. Click the links for full details. 

There are preliminary works underway for Lyminster  Bypass North. 

The other scheme in full flow is the Crawley Gyratory - Traffic Signal.

We’d like to find out how West Sussex residents aged 65 and over, use their free bus pass - and if they use it more or less since the pandemic.

We’d also like to know why some people don’t claim their free bus pass and if there are any barriers to bus travel in the county - and beyond.

West Sussex County Council is working with local bus companies to help improve services and await confirmation of funds to deliver the ambitions set out in our Bus Services Improvement Plan.

All eligible survey completers (that’s residents aged 65 or over) can sign up to a free prize draw to win £100 worth of supermarket vouchers.

For more information about free bus passes for older people visit http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/BusPass

There are many ways to tell us about your experiences on local buses, Visit#WestSussBus on the WSCC 'YourVoice' engagement hub to find out more.

A259: Drayton - Chichester to Bognor near Marsh Lane, works has begun (03/10/2022). 

This is to construct a signalised Toucan crossing to help cyclists and pedestrians cross this busy main road on the strategic cycleway and footway that runs between Chichester and Bognor Regis. Also, new road surfacing and to lower the speed limit to 50mph between the Drayton roundabout and Bognor Regis.

For more information, click here.

Landowners and land managers are responsible for maintaining public rights of way that cross their land, making sure that the paths are clear, accessible and don't pose a risk to footpath users. 

For more information visit the Countryside Code and the West Sussex County Council website.

Volunteers replaced steps and removed fallen trees from a footpath adjoining the South Downs Way inWashington. They also installed revetments (supporting structures) and cut back vegetation.

In Milland, volunteers installed a new footbridge to reopen a path that had been closed to the public over the winter, due to an unsafe bridge. They also removed fallen trees and installed new waymarking. 

Vegetation clearance, the installation of a new concrete culvert pipe to improve drainage and the addition of two tonnes of stone to repair a damaged surface was completed in Billingshurst. Whilst over in Nuthurst a plank crossing was replaced by a few footpath near Monks Gate due to riverbank erosion.

Finally, in North Mundham an additional step and handrails were added to an existing footbridge on a popular Runcton footpath. Rotten uprights were also replaced to extend the life of the bridge. 

During 2022, we have added 10 new nature friendly CRVs to make the total of 20 across the county. 

We're not going to ask for new verges for 2023, instead we will concentrate on helping the local groups and organisations that co-ordinate the CRVs to monitor the wildflowers and other nature that appears on the verges. And to make the CRVs work more effectively for all members of the community.

In addition to the 10 new CRVs, this year we have also created a partnership with Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group in Selsey to create the second Pollinator Highway in the county. The first was established in Lancing in early 2021.

Upward trend in fatal collisions post-Covid.

Following reduced traffic flows in 2020 and 2021 there has been an increase in vehicle journeys in 2022 and unfortunately, this has also led to a rise in road traffic collisions and casualties. 

Of particular concern is the upward trend in fatal collisions and those involving motorcyclists or pedestrians - especially at the time of good weather which encourages more motorcycling, walking and cycling. 

Please take care when using roads, observe speed limits and drive in accordance with conditions. All road users have a shared responsibility for road safety and it is essential we take care for ourselves and others.