50 Storrington Air Quality
Storrington Pollution More of your letters Dear Editor, Thank you for the very informative review of the history of this issue in the Horsham area, and Storrington in particular since 2000, in December's Sussex Local. It appears that little improvement has been made since an Air Quality Management Area was declared for Storrington in 2010. To assess progress, we residents might expect availability of data on recorded air quality, on specific dates and times, or we might expect a documented Action Plan for Storrington, where serious local issues in emissions were recorded as early as 2007. Your article makes clear that such is not the case. The Councils' inaction is completely unacceptable at a time when Climate Change is recognised by many as the single most important issue confronting mankind. So no one should be surprised that recent weeks have seen the formation of an Arun Valley branch of Extinction Rebellion, and their first public demonstration of protest, at one of the identified areas of maximum pollution in Storrington. Barbara Walmsley Dear Editor I read your article in the Sussex Local regarding air quality in Storrington with the usual sadness... knowing that there is so little that can be done to divert the enormous amount of traffic that needs to pass through our village/town en route for many other destinations. The idea of ‘Gating’ seems to me to be the only possibility. The Tesco roundabout would be a good place for cars entering from both Amberley and Pulborough directions. The benefit of this could prove two fold the roundabout is a really difficult obstacle and having lived in Monastery Lane and now on the Hormare estate I have to negotiate this tricky junction frequently. My heart goes out to more elderly people and young ones trying to learn to drive. From Monastery Lane, in particular, it can be a nightTesco roundabout mare of looking through a hedge to the right to check if any cars are coming. As there is always a queue at busy times I feel that traffic lights would not make a lot of difference to the build up of traffic. BUT ... they would make the roundabout safer and help the high street itself from being constantly clogged whenever there is a delivery or other hold up or indeed during rush
hour, school pick up or other busy times. If another set of traffic lights were introduced on the Washington Road entrance to Storrington I can envisage a better flow through the High Street. I also think that rat runs should be eliminated by introducing traffic calming and no entry except for access. In this way residents of Storrington can be protected from further traffic near where they live. I am aware that funding is a huge issue... but surely we must do ‘something’......with the increase in house building we are facing a grim future. Susan Bartle Dear Editor I was reading about the unacceptable level of NO2 pollution in Storrington. I and many friends/ neighbours live here and crossing the main high street is an absolute nightmare, because of the volume and frequency of through traffic! Putting up "Gating " is pathetic! not only is it NOT noticed or mean anything to most drivers coming through! The health PROBLEM it's causing to so many residents here is so SERIOUS. So many suffer from breathing or cough related illnesses! We have been IGNORED for TOO long! It's time the pollution was taken seriously and a PROPER SOLUTION is found and used immediately!!!! I am really thinking about moving away from Storrington because of the pollution (which apparently is WORSE than LONDON!) A lot of residents here feel the same! SOMETHING has to be done ASAP! Horsham council are dragging their feet over this SERIOUS issue! Extremely annoyed resident Jean Dear Editor Thankyou for raising the vexed problem traffic pollution in Storrington, it has certainly resonated with your readers. It does not surprise me that the Parish Council turned down the chance to declare its recognition of the climate emergency. Neither air pollution or traffic management seems to be a priority with our representative body. Reports from the HDC shows a whole range of issues have been discussed and evaluated. The three small initiatives that you mention in your October article have been a long time in coming, but reading the reports the problems of making any changes which impact on the problems are really very difficult. On your particular issue of parked cars with engine running, this can and has been tackled in London (and probably else where) by the introduction of byelaws. This of course leads to enforcement problems,
