A is for atrocious

Every time I drive east out of Worthing towards Lancing on the "A"27 these days (I attempt this only at around midday, never at rush hour, and only if I'm feeling lucky; I never come back the same way) the line of stationary traffic going in the opposite direction almost stretches from traffic lights to traffic lights and must add about 20 minutes to journeys.

I know these are straitened times. Budgets are being slashed. Government money must be husbanded for only the most crucial projects.

But don't your readers share my despair, frustration and rising blood pressure at this flaunting in our faces of our politicians' contempt for us?

Is there another country in the western world which considers itself moderately wealthy and with a degree of competence, that would put up with this?

Think of the wasted time, the excessive pollution from all those stationary cars, the degrading of our county as visitors say "never again" will we drive to Worthing (or Arundel, or Chichester).

Is this allowed to happen because the people of Sussex don't care and are happy not to rock the boat?

I say they do care passionately about this, and share my disgust with the long line of politicians, both local and national, who have damned us with this monstrously useless transport system.

(I speak as someone of senior years, who has lived through the promise of a bypass, and now knows it will never happen).

Or will it? Surely in an area as rich in resources and talent as Sussex, we can say to the politicians we won't tolerate this any more, and if they won't do something, stand aside and we will.

Surely, there are local movers and shakers '“ entrepreneurs, financiers, architects '“ who could help us raise the money for and design, a new toll road (under or over or around the town, straddling the railway if necessary) that would pay for itself over the years?

This would bypass the local and national politicians who have treated us with such contempt and will clearly do nothing.

Isn't time for us to face down our pathetic leaders and show that we can act without them? Or at least shame them into action?

Neil Winton

Steep Lane

Findon

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Write in to Readers' Letters, Worthing Herald series, Cannon House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing, BN11 1NA, or email the Herald.

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