From 10:30 am on Boxing Day the pram race are granted the legal authority to close certain roads (and access to certain roads) in and around Pagham. This is purely for safety reasons.

We operate a rolling road closure system each year to keep the inconvenience to the residents to a minimum. We will reopen roads as soon as it is safe to do so.

The main roads in Pagham affected, in no particular order are as follows:

Pagham Road (Junction with Hook Lane to Sea Lane). Roads affected are Dowlands Close, Mill Farm Estate, Spinnaker View, Nyetimber Lane, Canterbury Close, Barton Close, Sea Way, Saxon Close, Radmall Close, Woodfield Close and Mulberry Court.

Sea Lane (Junction with Pagham Road to The Parade). Which will affect Well Road, Lagoon Road, Harbour Road, Beach Road and Sandy Lane.

The Parade (Junction with Seal Lane to Harbour View Road) Will affect access to St Thomas Drive and June Close.

Harbour View Road (Junction with The Parade/The Causeway to Church Way). Will affect access to Queens Mead and Sussex Drive.

Church Way (Junction with Harbour View Road to Pagham Road)

Contingency plans are in place for emergency Vehicle access to any of the affected roads.

The lead Race Marshal decision to grant access is final.

The Lead Race Marshal this year is Andrew Goodwill and can be contacted on 07971536644

EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS will only be granted for MEDICAL or PUBLIC SAFETY reasons.

PLEASE NOTE:

Driving on an officially closed road without permission is a serious road traffic offence, it’s considered a failure to obey temporary traffic signs and directions, leading to fines, penalty points, or even imprisonment, and potentially voiding your insurance cover if an incident occurs. It’s an offence under laws like the Road Traffic Act 1988 (interfering with traffic equipment) and failing to follow signs, potentially prosecuted under the Road Traffic Act 1960.

Why It’s Illegal:

Ignoring Signs: Road closures use mandatory signs (like ‘Road Closed’) that you MUST obey, with failure to do so being a criminal offence.
Interfering with Traffic Equipment: Moving cones or barriers is a specific offence under Section 22A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, carrying potential imprisonment.

Public Safety: Roads are closed for safety (e.g., accidents, roadworks, events), and entering them puts you and others at risk.

Consequences:

Fines & Points: You can receive fixed penalty notices, fines, and penalty points on your licence.
Disqualification & Imprisonment: More serious breaches can lead to driving bans or even jail time.
Insurance Issues: Your insurance company might not cover damages if you were driving illegally through a closure.

In short, think of “Road Closed” signs as absolute, not advisory; disobeying them is a clear breach of road traffic laws.