Improvements to ‘main town centre bottleneck’ begin

The Western Boulevard bus service improvement scheme started on Monday (March 11). The public realm and highways improvement scheme is being delivered as part of the Crawley Growth Programme as an extension to the Eastern Gateway scheme, which was completed in 2022.

Funded by the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, the scheme will improve bus journeys by widening the junction between The Boulevard and The Broadway.

The improvements include:

• widening the junction to include an additional dedicated bus lane for buses turning right into The Broadway and a lane for ongoing traffic traveling eastbound, allowing cars to keep moving while buses turn
• continuing the segregated cycle tracks on The Boulevard, completing the link to the existing cycle infrastructure on the High Street
• a new parallel crossing allowing pedestrians and cyclist to cross safely together
• modal filters applied to one of the service roads off The Boulevard, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists
• enhanced landscaping and quality materials, including resurfacing the road
• new paving for the pedestrian footways will be in the same style as the new paving at the eastern end of The Boulevard

The works are expected to take nine months.

Nick Hill, Commercial Director of Metrobus, said: “The Boulevard is the main bottleneck in the town centre where buses currently get delayed so it is great that this new scheme will help them flow so much better to help bus users get to where they need to be more quickly while also helping the service to be more reliable.”

Councillor Atif Nawaz, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development at Crawley Borough Council, said: “This is an exciting improvement scheme that will significantly reduce the time that buses are waiting at this junction, speeding up journeys for millions of passengers.

“The scheme will also provide beneficial changes for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.”

Councillor Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “I’m delighted that this important town centre highways improvement, active travel and connectivity scheme is commencing. This further demonstrates the effectiveness of the successful partnerships in the Crawley Growth Programme and now, in collaboration with the Department for Transport, we are bringing to Crawley clear benefits for residents, visitors and businesses.

“The Western Boulevard scheme is in line with our Council Plan aim of supporting a sustainable and prosperous economy through the provision of a safer, more efficient and overall resilient transport network.”

Wendy Bell, Chief Executive Officer of Crawley Town Centre Business Improvement District, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the latest improvement work being undertaken by the Crawley Growth Programme. The new-look western part of The Boulevard will continue to help showcase Crawley town centre as the vibrant thriving area it is.

“We are looking forward to seeing the outcome once the programme is completed.”

For more information visit investcrawley.co.uk/development/western-boulevard-bus-service-improvement-schem

The Crawley Growth Programme is a £50 million investment package of infrastructure improvements and physical regeneration designed to support significant increases in new homes, business investment and employment growth. It’s a major partnership of public and private bodies including Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex County Council, Metrobus, Gatwick Airport Ltd, Manor Royal Business Improvement District, the Arora Group and Metrobus.