Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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MP and local councillor call for official investigation into Cophall chaos
Polegate's MP Norman Baker is writing to Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Transport, to demand an investigation into what he calls the “shambolic manner” in which the Cophall Roundabout project, which links the A27 and A22 at Polegate, has been undertaken.
There has been a number of alterations to the roundabout in recent months, which have cost in excess of £600,000, although the Highways Agency has assured the MP that the costs will be met by a private developer rather than from public finances.
Norman says: "This scheme has been a shambles from start to finish and is an object lesson in how not to undertake a project. The result has been transport mayhem that has compromised safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
“It is obvious that the Highways Agency did not plan this properly and was not prepared to listen early enough to the local population and their representatives when problems were pointed out. The fact that it has been a private developer rather than the public purse footing the bill for this catalogue of errors is immaterial.”
County Cllr for Polegate Roy Martin added: “First we had the long saga of the unsafe slip road from the A22 onto the new road which eventually had to be rebuilt.
“Now we find that the traffic lights, which should never have been put there in the first place, are to be removed. But apparently they intend to leave the pedestrian crossing lights in place which means that when pedestrians are using them stopped traffic will back up on to the roundabout itself. These lights might well be needed but they are in the wrong place and I have told the Highway Authority they are causing danger and need to be moved.”