Gillian Keegan has met with the Government’s transport minister to request more time to find a solution for the A27.
At the last community workshop at the end of last month, the Chichester MP said she would request up to a six-month extension to Highways England’s September 17 deadline for the £250m to be reinstated.
In a statement, Mrs Keegan said: “As you know from our recent community meeting I promised to go back to Government and press for more time for us to develop a scheme for the A27 here in Chichester that we, as a community, could support.
“I have now had a meeting with Jesse Norman MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport and Roads Minister and Jim O’Sullivan, CEO of Highways England.
“I am seeking to conclude my discussions with Government and Highways England in the coming week and I will then share the outcome with the community.
“I have also met with West Sussex County Council and Chichester District Council and following this meeting I have raised further questions to Highways England for clarification.
“Once I have these further details we will be in a position to tell you more and we ask for your continued support whilst we establish what options are available to us.
“WSCC will be holding another BABA27 community meeting on the evening of Monday, September 25.
“Together we are committed to providing you with an update ahead of this meeting to enable us all to have a meaningful conversation on the way forward.”
Since Transport Secretary Chris Grayling cancelled Chichester’s scheme in March, the county council has led workshops aimed at letting the community agree its own solution to solve years of traffic on the congested road. In June there was anger when a meeting was told that Highways had issued a September deadline and suggested only one of its five online options would be funded.
See the full article here: http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/chichester-mp-meets-transport-minister-over-the-a27-1-8145864
