Chichester's controversial new Dutch-style roundabout is open
A controversial new Dutch-style roundabout – only the third in the UK – is now open in Chichester.
Featuring an outer ring for cyclists and several zebra crossings for pedestrians, both of which are designed to force motorists to give way, developers hope the upgrade will make traffic smoother and safer for everyone involved.
Work on the £950,000 project started in June last year, and it replaces the roundabout on the Westgate / Orchard Street (A286) / Avenue de Chartres (A286) / West Street junction.
The carriageway around the roundabout has been narrowed to make way for the two-metre wide cycleway, and raised parallel crossings have been installed at each arm of the roundabout for pedestrian use.
Combined with a 20mph speed limit, West Sussex County Council says “the layout of the roundabout gives priority to people walking and cycling, whilst allowing drivers and cyclists to have a clear view of each other to ensure safer journeys for all.”
The new roundabout, which is designed to prioritise cyclists and pedestrians, is part of the new 750-home Whitehouse Farm development, planning permission for which required a programme of Highway improvements.
It follows a precedent set by two other Dutch roundabouts, which opened in the UK in recent years. The first, in Cambridge, opened in 2020, followed by a second in Sheffield, which opened in December 2024.
Watch the video embedded in this story to find out more about the roundabout in Sheffield.