'Dangerous' slip road closed

PART of the new Polegate Bypass is confusing, potentially dangerous and needs to be changed.

The left-turn slip road leading on to the bypass from the A22 has been coned off by police because drivers are dangerously misusing it.

Highways Agency officials are now engaged in serious discussion about what can be done to remedy the potential accident blackspot.

When heading south towards the new Cophall roundabout, motorists are apparently positioning themselves in the left-hand lane to go straight on.

However, the left-hand lane is a slip road leading on to the bypass, so drivers wishing to go straight on are being forced to take last-minute action across a hatched section of road to get into the central lane.

Two weeks ago there was a minor accident at this point in which one car, engaged in a last minute lane-change, smashed into the back of another. Since then, the slip road has been closed to traffic.

A spokesman from the Highways Agency said yesterday: 'This is not a faulty design, but things are not working out as well as they might.

'This part of the new road is causing confusion among drivers, so we are looking again at the layout. We will then make changes to improve things for motorists.'

The spokesman made it clear that the section of road will not be ripped up and relaid. Details of planned changes are unclear at present, but it is likely that road markings will be changed, added to or removed. New signposts at the side of the road are also a possibility.

Until something is decided and the changes are implemented, the slip road will remain closed, so drivers heading south on the A22 will have to use the central lane for turning on to the bypass.

The bypass was officially opened on June 19.