Doubts over funding to improve Comet Corner

Paul Wotherspoon used his annual report to the parish council to state his latest fears for users of the busy junction.

Improvements to the site where the A259 meets the northern and southern sections of Yapton Road have been included in the county council's programme of works for 2010/11.

But the 325,000 '“ on top of 75,000 due to be spent this year '“ is dependent on contributions from the developers of the Site Six housing scheme in Felpham.

Cllr Wotherspoon said this funding was unlikely to be given in the near future.

"While road improvements at Comet Corner remain a priority, a realistic stance has to be taken in the present economic circumstances," he stated.

"Given the state of the property market, work is not likely to start on Site Six for some time.

"So, delays will undoubtedly occur before this work commences.

"The concern is, however, that traffic volumes continue to grow, exacerbated in part by the increased heavy goods vehicle traffic from the Materials Recycling Facility (at Ford).

"So, the opportunities to pull out at Comet Corner road junction will be reduced and the risk of accidents could increase."

A long-lasting campaign by residents and local councillors has demanded safety work at the junction since the death of an elderly resident in the summer of 2003.

Some changes have taken place, but the county council will only fund major alterations from the money provided by the builders of the 700 homes on Felpham's section of Site Six.

However, Cllr Wotherspoon said that some good highways news was occurring.

A zebra crossing in Elmer Road, next to One Stop and Shrubbs Field car park, is set to be installed at a cost of 25,000.

A further 60,000 is due to be spent improving the footpath between Merry End and The Byway on the northern side of Middleton Road in the next 12-18 months.

Cllr Wotherspoon stressed the parish council had also spent money to improve life for its residents. A total of 21,000 on gone on five projects.

They were the resurfacing of the Middleton Green footpath, the Merry End bus shelter being refurbished, an 8,000 grant towards improving Larksfield skate park, a new hardstanding for the netball practice area on Shrubbs Field and help to the trustees of Middleton-on-Sea playing field.

All this, while the council's take from local residents had

stayed the same at 37,000 in the current year.

But bad news came with a further delay to the opening of a pharmacy.

With support from the parish council, one had been approved for Elmer.

The company, though, wanted to open in Middleton instead and had been challenged by its rivals.

"This will cause yet more unwelcome delays when all parishioners want is an operational pharmacy, now," he stated.

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