Abnormal load being moved from Shoreham Port to Ninfield
There will be a slow-moving, abnormal load on our roads in Sussex on Saturday 19 March 2022.
Two large pieces of equipment will be taken 41 miles from Shoreham Port to National Grid’s substation near Ninfield, East Sussex. This is essential equipment to allow the National Grid to provide energy to homes and businesses.
We have been working with colleagues at National Highways and East Sussex Highways to support this movement, which will include the temporary removal of some street furniture.
The movement will include travel through the Portslade and Hangleton area:
- From Shoreham Port to the A259 (seafront)
- On the A259 between Tennis Road and Church Road
- Northbound on Church Road and Trafalgar Road
- Eastbound on the A270 between Trafalgar Road and A293
- Northbound on A293 to meet A27
Each load weighs over 300 tonnes and is over 70 metres long. Due to the complexity of moving equipment of this size there will be significant disruption to traffic on the A27 and A259, which has been chosen as the safest route for the convoy to take across the county.
The load will be escorted by the Police, who will need to temporarily hold traffic to allow the convoy to safely progress.
We’re expecting this to cause delays and disruption. Please check timings below and plan this into your journeys on 19 March. The convoy will move very slowly while it is on the road.
The A27 will be closed between the Ashcombe roundabout and the Southerham roundabout from 6am to 8pm while we set up a temporary bridge so the convoy can safely cross the River Ouse. A diversion will be in place in both directions via the A270, A259 and A26.
The vehicles will leave Shoreham Docks at 9am and are expected to arrive in Ninfield around 7.30pm. A rough estimate of timings as it moves along the route are below. Please note, these are subject to change depending on progress.
- 9am Leave Shoreham Docks, pass through Portslade, up to the A27, where the convoy will make its way to the A23 Patcham junction.
- 10:30am At Patcham, the convoy will need to use the northbound A23 to pass through the junction, before continuing on the A27 to the Ashcombe roundabout.
- 12:30pm The convoy will be on the A27 within the closure between the Ashcombe roundabout and Southerham roundabout.
- 4:30pm Once it leaves the closure area, the convoy will move along the A27 from the Southerham roundabout to Polegate.
- 5pm The convoy will move along Polegate High Street before re-joining the A27, then A259, to Bexhill.
- 5:30pm Continuing on the A259, the convoy will start its journey through Bexhill.
- 6:30pm Passing through Bexhill, the convoy will move along the A269 and A2691.
- 7pm The convoy will re-join the A269, before turning onto Potmans Lane and making its way to the Ninfield site.
For residents and business along the route, there may be a short amount of time when access to and from your property is restricted. This will only be while the convoy passes, and the road will be open as usual during the rest of the day, apart from the A27 between Ashcombe roundabout and the Southerham roundabout, which will reopen in the evening.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
To ensure there are no hold-ups, there will be some activities carried out ahead of the movement, which includes the removal of street furniture and parking restrictions.
To follow the progress of the convoy, please follow us and East Sussex Highways on Twitter @HighwaysSEast / @esccroads where regular updates will be posted.
On the day you can contact National Grid’s community relations team with any questions on 0800 319 6175.