Driving in Selsey

Roads, parking and the B2145

Driving is the dominant mode of transport in Selsey, a consequence of the town's geographical isolation at the end of the Manhood Peninsula. The B2145 is the only road in and out of the town, and every vehicle entering or leaving Selsey must use it. This single-road dependence defines the driving experience in a way that few other towns in West Sussex can match.

The B2145 runs north from Selsey through Sidlesham and the flat fields of the peninsula to Chichester, a distance of approximately eight miles. In normal conditions, the drive takes around fifteen to twenty minutes. During the summer months, particularly on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings when visitors arrive at the holiday parks, and on Sunday afternoons when they leave, the B2145 can experience significant congestion. Queues can stretch back into the town and beyond, adding considerable time to the journey. This is the single most common complaint about living in Selsey among local residents.

Within the town itself, driving is straightforward. The streets are quiet outside of holiday season, parking is generally available on residential streets, and the distances are short enough that most errands can be completed within a few minutes. The High Street area has some parking provision, though spaces can be tight during busy periods. The holiday parks have their own car parks for guests.

The lack of alternative routes is the fundamental issue. If the B2145 is blocked by an accident, a broken-down vehicle or roadworks, there is no practical diversion. The town can be effectively cut off for the duration of the obstruction. This vulnerability has been raised in local planning discussions and transport consultations, but the geography of the peninsula offers no easy solution.

Chichester, the main destination for most Selsey drivers, provides access to the A27, the main east-west route along the south coast. From the A27, connections are available to Brighton and the east, Portsmouth and the west, and northwards to London via the A3. The journey from Selsey to the A27 is the bottleneck. Once on the A27, connections are good.

Parking in Chichester itself can be challenging, particularly on market days and during the Festival Theatre season. Several multi-storey and surface car parks serve the city centre, and the park-and-ride is an option for those wanting to avoid the congestion.

For Selsey residents, the car is not a luxury but a necessity. The limited bus service, the absence of a railway and the distance to essential services in Chichester make car ownership effectively a requirement for most households.