A27 East of Lewes

Latest updates

• 15 March 2021

  Polegate junction work continues

  We need to install drainage and manholes across the carriageway at Polegate junction. This means we will be working at night to reduce traffic congestion. The work will take place from Monday 15 March to Friday 19 March 2021 between 8pm and 6am.

  We will also be working from Monday 22 March to Thursday 25 March 2021 between 8pm and 6am. Temporary traffic management will be in place. No road closures are required.

  Piling work begins

  Piling work to reinforce the carriageway alongside the Highways England maintenance depot also starts on Monday 15 March. Work will take place during the day as it will be noisy and generate vibrations. It’s expected to last for no longer than three weeks. The noise and vibration levels will reduce the further away you are from the works. As a precaution you might want to remove precious items from shelves and take pictures or video of any walls you might be concerned about. We will be closely monitoring noise and vibration levels before and during the work. You can contact us via the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 or by email to a27eastoflewes@highwaysengland.co.uk

  Central reservation

  From the start of April we will be creating a central reservation between Cophall roundabout and Polegate junction. This will mean north and eastbound traffic using the western side lane and south and westbound traffic using the eastern side lane. The road from Cophall roundabout to Polegate junction will need to be closed overnight to allow us to move the traffic management set up. The road between Polegate junction and Cophall roundabout will be closed from Friday 26 March to Sunday 28 March 2021 between 8pm and 6am. The diversion will be via Polegate High Street.

  To make sure we are prepared for the traffic management change above, we will be working beyond our normal hours on Saturday 20 March from 1pm to 6pm and on Sunday 21 March from 8am to 4pm.

• 26 January 2021

  Work at Polegate and Berwick roundabout

  Following a short closure, our site at Polegate is now open again and work has resumed. The small number of staff with positive Covid tests are recovering well. All other staff are self-isolated in line with government guidelines.

  At Polegate, we will be working from 7.30am to 5.00pm Saturday 6 and 8.00am to 4.00pm Sunday 7 February 2021. This work will include top soiling, kerb laying and sweeping.

  We are increasing the size of Berwick roundabout to improve traffic flow along the A27. In addition to this we are creating a new shared cycle and footpath from Drusillas roundabout to join the existing path from Berwick station. This will connect with our planned shared cycleway and footpath from Polegate to Firle. This work is expected to be completed by January 2022.

  We are clearing vegetation and hedges around the roundabout to create a safe working area. The site compound should be completed by 22 February.

  In response to feedback from cyclists we are looking at alternatives to the Common Lane diversion. Station Road and Pound Lane are closed to vehicles other than for access to properties.

• 08 January 2021

  Berwick roundabout improvements starting this month

  From Monday 18 January Station Road will be closed between Common Lane and the A27 junction. The diversion will be along Common Lane. Access to Pound Lane from the A27 will be for residents only. Access to Old Leylands Barn will be from the northern end of Station Road.

  From Monday 25 January the A27 at Berwick will be closed for night works. We'll be removing the existing roundabout and islands. Traffic management will be in place for eight nights from 8pm to 6am Monday 25 to Thursday 28 January and from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 February 2021. The diversion will be the A26 and A259. Local traffic requiring access will be escorted.

  Major work to improve traffic flow at the Berwick roundabout will provide space for two lanes of traffic to travel around the roundabout. These changes will improve journey reliability and make the roundabout safer for all road users.

  We're sorry for the inconvenience and disruption these works will cause. Please let us know if you feel we could improve the way we're working on this section of the scheme.

  As part of our commitment to reducing, recycling and reusing, moving forward, we won't be posting letters to local residents. We can add you to our email update list (not for marketing purposes). Please email A27EastofLewes@highwaysengland.co.uk asking to be added. You can be removed at any time by emailing the same address. You can also get free text updates by texting A27EoL to 60613 or you can call Highways England on 0300 123 5000.

• 08 April 2020

  Main works to start in April/May 2020

  We will start the main works towards the end of April/beginning of May – this work will be carried out under lane closures along the Polegate Bypass between Polegate and the Cophall roundabout.

• 05 March 2020

  Preparatory work due to start in March 2020

  Following consultation and our public information events, we have now been granted permission to start work on the scheme. We are now planning to start work on site by the end of March. This work will include establishing a site compound and clearing sections of the site in preparation. This work will not have any major impact on road users.

  Additionally, the Compulsory Purchase and Side Road orders for Polegate and Berwick junctions have been confirmed and the General Vesting Declaration process has begun. All documentation, including the S15 notices is available in the Media and Documents section below under Highways Act. Hard copies were available at deposit point locations but these have closed due to Covid-19. For hard copies, please email the scheme inbox at A27EastofLewes@higwaysengland.co.uk