A23 Handcross Hill

[drivin_me_nuts]

Hi all,

does anyone know how long the planned works on the A23 are planned to last?

I understand this is just the tree stripping bit and the widening works are planned for some time later. Is there a definite date for these works?

[JulianHJ]

This round is a month of night time closures, followed by the next stage in spring according to The Argus.

[FUBAR]

What the betting most drivers don't use the proposed diversion route and end up right past my door in Lower Beeding?

[JulianHJ]

FUBAR said:

What the betting most drivers don't use the proposed diversion route and end up right past my door in Lower Beeding?

I'd put money on it!

[drivin_me_nuts]

Chap being interviewed for the news says they plan to keep two lanes open at all time. But 3 soddin years to build a few miles of one extra lane on each side. Bloody hell.

[dcb]

drivin_me_nuts said:

But 3 soddin years to build a few miles of one extra lane on each side. Bloody hell.

I don't think the extra lane will make much difference.

Most current road users have hopeless lane discipline and crowd
lane 2, leaving lane 1 mostly empty.

I rather suspect the new road will have lots of lane 3 use,
and not much lane 1 or lane 2 use.

See M25, M2, M20, M40, M1 etc for examples.

[drivin_me_nuts]

I drive up that damned hill regularly and you're absolutely right. I always stay in the inside line. As you come from Brighton you see the traffic wizzing past in lane 2 and 3 back at Warninglid, only to pass them all in lane 1 as they are still in 2, crawling up the hill. The accidents i've seen on that hill have maninly in lane 2. Cars comes round the right hand 50 bend into the back of a queue of traffic. As for a layby half way up the hill... I think they've closed it now, but it was just madness.

[Dogwatch]

Don't see why it has to be three lanes in each direction - though it does look tidy from the air. I would suggest that logically there ought to be more lanes going uphill than downhill, say 4 + 2.

[knight]

FUBAR said:

What the betting most drivers don't use the proposed diversion route and end up right past my door in Lower Beeding?

I'll make sure I do just that as and when I'm supposed to using the A23!

[FUBAR]

knight said:

I'll make sure I do just that as and when I'm supposed to using the A23!

I dont have a problem with that Ged, especially if in the Cerb But those frikin lorries get on me teats.

[knight]

Maybe you should set up some gates and start charging people to go past!

[FUBAR]

[Stedman]

Great set of bends, especially at night.

[john2443]

JulianHJ said:

The Argus.

Bloody Hell, that's a HUGE diversion! Pease Pottage to A24, Buckbarn x Roads, A 272!

Hopefully they'll never decide to close it during the day!

From Highways Agency website 'we will commence the main civil engineering works in the Spring/Summer of 2012. In the first phase of these works we will temporarily widen the southbound carriageway to carry two lanes of traffic in each direction which will enable us to move to the next stage of rebuilding the northbound carriageway'

Edited by john2443 on Sunday 16th October 18:02

[A13]

http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/3998.asp...

[john2443]

It's a bit wierd now, with hardly any trees, you can see one end from the other, spoils it really

[ironictwist]

john2443 said:

It's a bit wierd now, with hardly any trees, you can see one end from the other, spoils it really

Indeed...I've been thinking the same when I go through there now. Before it was like entering a forest road rally stage. Now it's just like another "A-Road"

[JulianHJ]

I drove it last weekend and thought the same. Still, that's progress...

[wy906]

JulianHJ said:

This round is a month of night time closures, followed by the next stage in spring according to The Argus.

Please could somebody confirm the night closures has now finished?

Thanks.

[Highrisedrifter]

ironictwist said:

john2443 said:

It's a bit wierd now, with hardly any trees, you can see one end from the other, spoils it really

Indeed...I've been thinking the same when I go through there now. Before it was like entering a forest road rally stage. Now it's just like another "A-Road"

Aw that's a shame. I agree with you on the 'rally stage'; I used to love that part of the A23.

I've not had to drive it for a couple of months fortunately and probably won't until the new year now. I know it's progress and all that but that stretch of road has been pretty much unchanged for nigh-on twenty years.