Petworth could be set for 20mph zone in town centre

The town council revealed that the initial application for a 20mph zone in the town centre had been given the nod by West Sussex County Council’s highways department – but there was a long way to go until the dream would become a reality.

There will need to be proposals drawn up, finances worked out and a public consultation on the scheme before it could go ahead.

This means the zones, if the plans are successful, wouldn't be in place until 2024/25.

But Petworth Town Council celebrated the news as a step in the right direction, and a spokesperson said: “This is a long process, but on the positive side it will enable full consultation with residents not just on the principle of a 20mph zone but also on the design details, especially the starting locations for the zone on North Street, Angel Street and Grove Lane.”

The campaign had been backed by the town’s MP Andrew Griffith, who joined the Petworth Community Speedwatch team back in September, and witnessed ‘drivers who fail to drive with due care through the very narrow streets of this ancient town’. He said: “I endorse the town’s campaign for a 20mph limit and am asking Sussex Police and West Sussex County Council to support it.”

After an initial proposal being approved by West Sussex County Council’s (WSCC) highways department, the limits could be in place by 2024/25.

The application has been shortlisted for the 2023/24 Community Highways Scheme (CHS), subject to approval at a full county council meeting which is expected in January 2023.

The scheme will be designed by WSCC Highways in 2023/24 and will potentially be built in 2024/25 as long as a technically compliant and affordable design can be agreed.

The initial design phase includes a formal process of public consultation and legal orders.

Petworth Town Council wrote: “The case presented in this report is that a 20mph zone for Petworth will require only very specific additional traffic calming measures in order to meet guidelines, because most of the town centre already has natural traffic calming and mean speeds are below 24mph. The segments of the proposed zone requiring additional measures are North Street and possibly Angel Street.

"The preliminary work proposal for the zone comprises post mounted signage at the entry/exit points, and additional post and road surface signage (roundels). The application acknowledges that the precise location of the entry points on Angel St and Grove St, in particular, will be subject to discussion with WSCC Highways.”

Speaking of a need for the zone back in September, Surrey Weeks, of the Petworth’s Community Speedwatch team said: “We are a Community Speedwatch Group of just four members, and we are doing what we can for Petworth residents but feel the situation is not improving without additional support from the appropriate authorities.

“Speaking to residents, and while carrying out our Speedwatch sessions, we have concluded that Petworth is in desperate need of traffic calming measures, especially a 20mph zone.”