The Parish Council responded promptly to the recent West Sussex County Council cycle path consultation.  This consultation covered some parts of West Sussex’s proposed route for a cycle path linking Sayers Common to Hassocks including a section through Hurst Meadows.  

 
We stressed again our concerns about the safety implications of any route going through the High Street and highlighted the particular issues around Randiddles Corner and the junction of St George’s Lane with Hassocks Road. The Parish Council feel that it would be preferable to avoid these areas and that safety should be paramount in order to encourage cycling, particularly for children travelling to and from Downlands School.  

Whilst recognising that the route should avoid the Millennium Garden, we have requested that the path through Hurst Meadows as drawn on the plans, is re-aligned to follow the field boundary and screened with native hedging, rather than going across the middle of the field. This will be less visually intrusive and much better for the public and wildlife who use the Meadows, and we already have plants such as sallow naturally growing in the fields which could form part of this screening.  

We welcome West Sussex’s intention to create a cycle path to Hassocks and hope that this will also provide opportunity for other links e.g., to a northern route to the Triangle and Burgess Hill.