A hole lot of bother caused by the roadworks no-one wanted to repair

Take one hole about 6ft long and 3ft wide in a major Bognor Regis road. Add two road closure barriers in Linden Road. Mix in a total absence of workmen.

Sprinkle into the situation a series of diversion signs in an area from the seafront to the A259.

And the result is one of the town's main roads closed for almost two weeks to cause congestion in the surrounding roads.

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Best of all '“ no-one has owned up to the problem which led Linden Road to be closed in the first place.

Nearby resident David Oliver, of Victoria Drive, said: "It would be acceptable to close such an important road if there were emergency works taking place there.

"People would understand that. But I went to have a look at where the road is closed outside the United Reformed Church and it's just a hole in the middle of the road.

"There's been nothing happening there for days. At peak times, it's a complete shambles in Victoria Drive and at the large roundabout by the hospital."

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County councillor Francis Oppler, whose Bognor east ward includes Linden Road, said: "Linden Road is one of the main thoroughfares for the town centre.

"It is such an important road and it's totally wrong to have it closed for this length of time with no obvious signs of activity.

"I'm asking the county highways staff why it has been necessary for the road to be closed for so long."

A Southern Water spokeswoman said it expected to be working in Linden Road in the next two days. "We have been working alongside the council to find the cause of, and a solution to, the problem.

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"This work has included a CCTV survey of our sewer line, which was carried out last week."

Although the survey found there to be no problems with our sewer, it revealed a damaged sewer connection, she explained.

"We do not believe this connecting pipe is owned by Southern Water. However, we have agreed to repair it as soon we can this week, to allow the council to repair the highway and re-open the road."

A spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council said: "The decision to close Linden Road between the junctions with Annadale Avenue and Havelock Road was taken because of safety concerns."

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