LETTER: Should be sent back to start

So, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling has pulled the plug on the Chichester Bypass Improvement Scheme, blaming local councils for his decision.

In the meantime, we are told everyone is desperately disappointed and said councils are asking him to reconsider his decision. How typical. Surely he should acknowledge the shambles of the Highways England proposals and consultation process and send Highways England back to the drawing board.

We do, now, have sight of the Consultation Report and know for sure that none of the options previously proposed were acceptable to a majority of respondents and nearly half felt that ‘no option’ is preferable to a ‘bad option’.

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Over 60 per cent of respondents did not support the highly contentious and divisive Option 2.

Come on, Mr Grayling. Hopefully you will be aware of the correspondence on these pages and face up to and recognise that the botched proposals would cause years of disruption with little gain.

Think strategically and holistically about the A27 from Fishbourne through and beyond Arundel, and recognise the importance of traffic management.

Maybe then you may come to the conclusion that sensible investment in a Northern Trunk Road would avoid many of the difficulties and contentious issues which have emerged.

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One has to wonder why this does not seem to occur to him. Perhaps it is just a means to stifle opposition and get the good people of Chichester to roll over and accept whatever is offered to them.

Margaret Ball

Stockbridge Road

Chichester