Pupils Join Campaign for a Safe Cycle Path and Footpath to Ford

Pupils from Arundel Church of England Primary School made a bright and early start on Friday. At 7.00am they started interviewing passengers at Ford Station, encouraging them to support the campaign to get a safe cycle path and footpath between Arundel and Ford Station. It is now envisaged that this path will connect to Littlehampton, providing access to the N2N cycle path and improving connectivity across the south coast.

 

Reception from both students heading off to school and commuters was positive. As one passenger commented, “at present it’s dangerous to cycle down this road and walking is even worse”.

 

Mayor Tony Hunt joined the ACE pupils. He said: “It was great to see the pupils from ACE here today. Andrew Simpson, headteacher of Arundel Church of England Primary School takes every opportunity to encourage pupils to take an active part in things that are happening in the town, and that strengthens our whole community. And of course, the safety of this pathway matters to them. One ACE pupil recently told us that her brother cycles to Ford to go to his secondary school, but that her mother didn’t like him doing so.”

 

The Arundel-Ford pathway campaign has moved forward strongly since the original letter asking for a safe pathway was signed by 56 community leaders, headed up by the Duke of Norfolk and MP Andrew Griffiths, earlier this year. A steering group on which Highways England, West Sussex County Council, Arun District Council and Arundel Town Council are represented is now progressing a proposal to secure funding for a detailed design stage to be carried out in 2022.

 

Photograph: ACE pupils (from left to right) Jemima, Poppy and Charlotte with Mayor Tony Hunt, campaigning at Ford Station for the Arundel-Ford pathway. The ACE Team in action as people arrive at Ford Station.

 

All photographs courtesy of Charlie Waring