A27

Route

Main Article: A27/route

The A27 is one of few roads that goes through just about every possible incarnation on its meander along the south coast. For most of the journey it's probably the most important road in the region, although driving along it you wouldn't notice.

Back in the sixties it was considered to be one of the most dangerous roads in the country. Thankfully, although much of the road is still substandard, many places have been given high-quality bypasses and upgrades, and the first 30 miles have been overshadowed by the M27.

History

Main Article: A27/history

The A27 has been subject to numerous upgrades throughout the years, particularly on its trunk section. These improvements have been of varying standard and appear to have had a variety of purposes in mind.

Notable locations

Southwick Hill Tunnel

Main Article: Southwick Hill Tunnel

The Southwick Tunnel was opened in 1996 and is located on the Brighton and Hove bypass between the junctions with the A270 and the A293.

Adur Viaduct

Main Article: Adur Viaduct

The Adur Viaduct was opened in 1970 as part of the Shoreham bypass and crosses the Adur valley along with the River Adur, near Shoreham-by-Sea in Sussex.

Opening Dates

Year	Section	Notes
1781	Shoreham Toll Bridge	It became restricted to non motorised users following the opening of the Adur Viaduct and Shoreham-on-Sea Bypass in 1970. It replaced the ferry when built.
1926	Cosham Spur Road	The short link from Northern Road to Havent Road was opened on 30 August 1926. Later de-classified.
1933	Titchfield Bypass	The 0.7 mile bypass was opened on 1 October 1933. Average width was 30 feet. Construction had taken just over a year and cost was £40,000.
1934	Romsey Bypass	An Automobile Association roads report on 22 December 1934 stated that the By Pass Road was open. The junctions at either end were described as "Like mazes at Hampton Court" by Lord Mount Temple and Romsey Chamber of Trade also called for improvements and improved signs indicating the way into town. In April 1936 a roadside first aid station, one of the first in the south, was opened on the bypass by the town's St. John Ambulance Brigade.
1939	North Lancing Bypass	The dual carriageway opened in September 1939.
1939	Sompting Bypass	Opened on 22 December 1939, cost £50,000. Only the section between Busticle Lane and Church Lane was completed as dual carriageway at that stage.
1940	Chichester Bypass	The 3.84 mile road from Main Road, Fishbourne to Stane Street, Westhampnett opened on 11 May 1940 without ceremony. Work had commenced in July 1938. Just over a mile of the dual carriageway was finished, the remainder being left as single carriageway due to war time measures. Works were suspended and footpaths and cycle tracks were also unconstructed, apart from at junctions. Overall width was 100 feet with 22 foot carriageways. Cost to date was £110,000 of the £203,500 scheme cost. The eastern 0.3 mile north of Portfield Way later became unclassified.
1957	Fareham: Cams Hill Improvement	The 0.5 mile diversion from Watlington River (now Delme Roundabout) to St Catherine's Way was completed in the year to 31 March 1957 per the 1956-57 Roads in England and Wales Report. The works were reported as in progress at 30 November 1956. 30 foot carriageway.
1958	Wymering Bypass	The 1 mile long Southampton Road Link Road dual carriageway from the original roundabout with A27 Western Road at Wymering (north of the current Paulsgrove Roundabout) to Spur Road Roundabout, Cosham was opened on 3 April 1958 by A.G. Asquith-Leeson, Mayor of Portsmouth. Sections had opened earlier; the northern carriageway west of the railway bridge on 16 January 1957 and east of Allaway Avenue by 11 November 1957. Contractor was Southern Counties Construction Co. Cost £246,520. A flyover was planned at the western end but the Ministry of Transport would not grant the funds. Later renumbered A3.
1963	Sompting Bypass dualling extension	The 0.75 mile dualling eastwards from Gainsborough Avenue to the existing dual carriageway at Church Lane was opened on 5 September 1963. Cost £38,000.
1965	Havant Bypass	The dual carriageway from Bedhampton Roundabout to Warblington Interchange was opened on 12 November 1965 by Lord Lingren, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport. Cost £1.6 million. The short link at the western end was later renumbered A2030.
1968	Worthing: Arundel Road Dualling	The 1.25 mile dualling between 0.2 mile west of Titnore Lane (east end of the current Clapham Interchange) to the Worthing boundary (0.1 mile east of Cote Street) was opened on 17 July 1968. Part had opened a year previously. Cost was more than £100,000.
1969	Lewes Relief Road	Phoenix Causeway was opened on 30 July 1969 by R.H. Yarrow, Mayor of Lewes. It included Phoenix Causeway Bridge over River Ouse. Later renumbered as A26, then A2029.
1969	Cosham and Farlington Bypass	Dual carriageway from Portsbridge Roundabout, Cosham to Bedhampton Southern Roundabout (to join Havant Bypass). Shown on June 1970 OS Quarter inch map. Not on March 1969 OS Quarter inch map. It may have opened in 1970.
1970	Shoreham-on-Sea Bypass	The 2 mile dual carriageway scheme was fully opened on 26 June 1970 with the completion of the Adur Interchange with A283. Adur Viaduct for east-west traffic had opened on 21 May 1970. Contractor was Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons Ltd., tender value £2.7 million.
1973	Arundel Bypass	The A27 section from Ford Roundabout to Causeway Roundabout was opened on 1 October 1973. The A284 section from London Road to Ford Roundabout was part of the project.
1977	Lewes Southern Bypass	The 2.8 mile D2 / S2 road was opened on 20 December 1977 by John Horam, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport. Contractor was A. Monk and Co., outturn works cost £9.9 million. One million tons of chalk was taken from Juggs Hill to form a cutting and used in the embankment across the River Ouse flood plain.
1979	Falmer Diversion	The 1.5 mile D2 dual carriageway was completed in December 1979 per the Policy for Roads: England 1980 Report. Outturn works cost £2.6 million. Mostly online.
1980	Portsbridge to Broadmarsh improvement (Cosham)	The 2 mile D3 dualling was completed in November 1980 per the Policy for Roads in England: 1981 Report. Outturn works cost £2.8 million.
1988	Havant - Chichester	Emsworth, Southbourne and Broadbridge Bypass. The 9 mile dual carriageway between Warblington Interchange and Fishbourne Roundabout was reported by the Sevenoaks focus of 31 August 1988 that it had opened "last week". Cost £20 million.
1988	Fontwell Bypass	The 2.1 mile D2 dual carriageway was completed in August 1988 (per the Trunk Roads, England, into the 1990's Report). Outturn works cost £4.9 million.
1990	Pevensey Bypass	Also bypass for Westham and Stone Cross. The 3.2 mile 7.3m wide S2 road was opened on 4 December 1990 by Charles Wardle, MP for Bexhill. Contractor was Costain, tender cost £7.71 million, total cost nearly £9 million.
1991	Brighton and Hove Bypass	Contract 1: Dyke Road to Patcham (D3) was completed in June 1991 per Hansard. Tender cost £16.6 million, outturn cost £20 million. Contract 2: Hangleton to Dyke Road (D2) was completed in December 1991 per Hansard. Contractor was M.J. Gleeson Group Ltd.. Tender cost £8.8 million, outturn cost £13 million.
1992	Brighton and Hove Bypass	Contract 3: Patcham to Coldean (D2) was completed in June 1992 per Hansard. Tender cost £14.8 million, outturn cost £19.3 million. Hansard described Coldean as Coldem. Although the western section of the Bypass was not complete, traffic could bypass Brighton and Hove using the Hangleton Link Road (now A293) at the western end.
1993	Crossbush Bypass	The dual carriageway was opened in May 1993 per Hansard. Contractor was Associated Asphalt, contract value £2.95 million, outturn cost £4.43 million.
1993	Westhampnett Bypass	The dual carriageway was opened in November 1993 per Hansard. Contractor was Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd., contract value £6.92 million, outturn cost £10.12 million.
1996	Clapham Interchange Improvement	Dual carriageway realignment.
1996	Brighton and Hove Bypass	Contract 4: Holmbush Interchange to Hangleton Interchange completed the 9 mile dual carriageway bypass. Opened on 18th March 1996 per a previous Sabre entry. It included the 470 / 450 metre twin bore Southwick Hill Tunnel. Contractor was Hall, Matthew, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, contract price £4.5 million.
2002	Polegate Bypass	The 1.8 mile dual carriageway from Cop Hall Roundabout to Golden Jubilee Roundabout was opened on 19 June 2002 by Tim Hughes, Highways Agency Chief Executive. Consultant was W.S. Atkins, contractor Miller Civil Engineering, cost £24 million.
2008	Southerham - Beddingham Improvement	WS2+1 widening (2 lanes westbound) for 1.4 miles, replacement of level crossing at Beddingham with an overbridge, roundabout improvements and extension of cycleway. Fully opened on 22 August 2008 per the POPE Report. The new bridge had opened on 15 December 2007. Outturn cost £30 million..

Links

National Highways

• 2018 - Arundel Bypass Preferred Route Announcement  May 2018 (archive.org)

• 2017 Worthing and Lancing improvement  July 2017
  • Consultation Brochure (archive.org)

• 2016/17 Chichester Bypass improvements proposals (cancelled Feb 2017)
  • Public Consultation Scheme Brochure (archive.org)

• Report on Public Consultation (archive.org)

• Polegate Bypass  2002

• Southerham to Beddingham improvement  2006-08

• Post Opening Project Evaluation - A27 Southerham to Beddingham Improvement - Five Years After  August 2015 (archive.org)

Roads.org.uk

• Bad Junctions: A23/A27 Patcham (archive.org)

Pathetic Motorways

• Unfinished: M27 (built as A27) (archive.org)

Motorway Services Online

• Services on the A27 (archive.org)

BBC News

• A27 improvement plan from Worthing to Lancing 'a sham'  14.08.2017 (archive.org)