A27 East of Lewes
Creating safer and more reliable journeys between Firle and Polegate.
Project information
The A27 to the east of Lewes suffered from congestion due to the narrow carriageway and low capacity at junctions. There were limited overtaking opportunities, meaning that traffic regularly queued behind cyclists and other slow moving vehicles.
In 2020, we embarked on a programme to improve journeys for everyone using this stretch, including walkers, cyclists, and horse-riders.
We’ve made several improvements to reduce congestion, connect communities and create safer journeys for all.
Our improvements will increase capacity, boost sustainability and create accessible routes for all along this stretch of the A27.
We aim to:
- improve journey times
- minimise traffic and congestion
- provide safer roads
- connect local communities
- improve accessibility for users of the South Downs National Park
- minimise impact on natural environment
Our scheme was delivered in two parts.
The first part started in 2020 to make significant improvements to the the junctions at Polegate, Wilmington and Drusilla's roundabout.
We’ve added extra lanes to increase capacity, changed the layout of some junctions and added new lights and crossings to improve traffic flow and safety.
The second part of our scheme began in 2021 to create a new path for walkers, cyclists and, in some places, horse riders between Firle and Polegate.
Our new path connects local communities and provides a safe route to various attractions and the South Downs National Park.
We're no longer consulting on this scheme.
Consultation Report and Preferred Route Announcement (2017)
If you're interested in looking back at past consultations and the feedback we received, visit our 2016 consultation page.
Visit our A27 East of Lewes feedback tool to have your say. The tool includes an interactive map. You can click on a location to make a specific comment, or give us your general feedback.
ECHO is a one-way feedback tool, so if you’d like a response to your feedback you can email the project team at: A27eastoflewes@nationalhighways.co.uk
Documents
Side Roads Order - Schedule and plans
Side Roads Order - Public Notice
Compulsory Purchase Order – Order and Schedule booklet
Compulsory Purchase Order - Plans
Compulsory Purchase Order - Public Notice
Statement of Reasons
Statement of Reasons - Addendum
Preliminary Design Drawing - Berwick
Preliminary Design Drawing - Gainsborough Lane
Preliminary Design Drawing - Polegate Bypass 1
Preliminary Design Drawing - Polegate Bypass 2
Preliminary Design Drawing - Polegate
Shared Use Path Side Roads Order Schedule and Plans
Shared Use Path Side Roads Order Public Notice
Shared Use Path Compulsory Purchase Order - Order and Schedule booklet
Shared Use Path Compulsory Purchase Order - Plans
Shared Use Path Compulsory Purchase Order - Commons Replacement Plans
Shared Use Path Compulsory Purchase Order Public Notice
Shared Use Path - Statement of Reasons
General Arrangement – Order Plans Shared Use Path
Polegate and Berwick made order (Compulsory Purchase Order)
Polegate and Berwick made order (Side Roads Order)
General Vesting Declaration (GVD) Unknown owner 1
General Vesting Declaration (GVD) Unknown owner 2
General Vesting Declaration (GVD) Unknown owner 3
General Vesting Declaration (GVD) Unknown owner 4
General Vesting Declaration (GVD) Unknown owner 5
Shared Use Path - MOD 1
Shared Use Path - MOD 2
Shared Use Path - Statement of Reasons Addendum
Confirmed Order - Shared Use Path - Side Roads Order
Confirmed Order - Shared Use Path - Compulsory Purchase Order
Shared Use Path GVD No.1
Shared Use Path GVD No.2
Shared Use Path GVD No.3
Shared Use Path GVD No.4
Shared Use Path GVD No.5
Shared Use Path GVD No.6
Shared Use Path GVD No.7
Shared Use Path GVD No.8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 1 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 2 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 3 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 4 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 5 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 6 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 7 of 8
- Environmental Assessment Report Part 8 of 8
- EAR Appendix 1.1 - Legislation and Policy
- EAR Appendix 2.1 - DBA ALC
- EAR Appendix 2.2 - Arboriculture
- EAR Appendix 4.1 - Scope Table (extract)
- EAR Appendix 5.1 - 5.8
- EAR Appendix 6.1 - Setting Assessment
- EAR Appendix 6.2 - Baseline
- EAR Appendix 6.3
- EAR Appendix 7.1 - Public Views Summary Note
- EAR Appendix 7.2 - Residential and Private Views Summary Notes
- EAR Appendix 8-1 - Habitat Survey Part 1 of 2
- EAR Appendix 8-1 - Habitat Survey Part 2 of 2
- EAR Appendix 8-2 - PBRA
- EAR Appendix 8-3 - Dormouse Survey Report
- EAR Appendix 8-4 - GCN Survey Report
- EAR Appendix 8-6 - Desk study 2019 update
- EAR Appendix 8-7 - Otter and Watervole Appraisal
- EAR Appendix 8-8 - Biodiversity Net Gain Part 1 of 2
- EAR Appendix 8-8 - Biodiversity Net Gain Part 2 of 2
- EAR Appendix 9-1a - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1b - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1c - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1d - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1e - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1f - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1g - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 9-1h - Envirocheck historical mapping
- EAR Appendix 10.1 - Materials Assessment Criteria
- EAR Appendix 11.1-11.8 - Noise
- EAR Appendix 12. 1 - Health baseline
- EAR Appendix 12.2 - Driver Stress
- EAR Appendix 12.3 - Employee Jobs Table
- EAR Appendix 13.1 - FRA
- EAR Appendix 14.1 - Vulnerability Assessment
- EAR Appendix 14.2 - Risk Assessment - Final
- EAR Addendum Part 1 of 2
- EAR Addendum Part 2 of 2
- EAR Addendum Appendix Part 1 of 3
- EAR Addendum Appendix Part 2 of 3
- EAR Addendum Appendix Part 3 of 3

Traffic information
Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.X
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