LETTER: Northern expressway is a '˜bad idea'

Unfortunately, many expressed opinions that are only self serving and very local in their projected proposals.

I am well aware of the difficulties created by the traffic around Chichester and the need for relief, I have too often been delayed in that traffic, however the Northern route is a very bad idea.

The well scripted articles on your page three of that newspaper edition repeated a comment made by the ‘Chichester Deserves Better’ group which very clearly suggests that, if the northern route were adopted, it is ‘likely’ that a huge amount of development will take place between any northern express way and Chichester.

Apart from the fact that the Northern route will pass straight through the land that the composer of the music for the hymn ‘Jerusalem’ looked over from the garden of the Earl of March public house, the pub where he composed the music, a view that should be listed, yesterday’s national press recorded that following the aviation accident at Shoreham it is determined that controls on the flying of elderly aircraft will reinforce that such planes should not be allowed to fly over roads and de facto built up developments.

The proposed northern route will pass very close to the Goodwood Estate. That Goodwood estate hosts two and more very major motor events per year each attracting approximately 150,000 people to each event from across the UK and near Europe making it possibly the most attended event of its type in Europe. Those events are based around the wartime West Hampnett fighter base, very famous for being the last fighter base from which Douglas Bader flew before he was captured and incarcerated by the enemy.

In addition, there are virtually every weekend classic car club meetings at the race circuit.

Each major event includes fabulous displays by second world war period aircraft and some from later periods.

If the northern route is allowed, it is almost certain that further restriction will be placed upon the flying of wartime aircraft from around and over Goodwood and maybe further restrictions on motor racing events on noise grounds. It has to be really understood that these mayor events at Goodwood create enormous amount of employment on the actual site but much more result in any licensed premises, particularly those with accommodation, within about a 50-mile radius to be fully booked year on year.

Allow the northern express way and it is possible that an enormous swathe of South East England will suffer huge financial penalty.

The Northern expressway is a bad idea and should be excluded from the discussion immediately.

Christopher Esdaile

Rectory Close,

Pulborough