Angry residents in village near Horsham raise fresh concerns over 'appalling' roads

Many of the roads in Southwater are plagued with pot holes which have been getting steadily worse for months. Now residents are demanding to know just when repairs are likely to take place.

Roads around Lintot Square are particularly badly affected with drivers frequently swerving across the road in a bid to avoid the deep grooves in the tarmac.

"It’s shocking,” said one. Another described the road surface as ‘appalling.’

Following complaints, Southwater Parish Council submitted a comprehensive road condition survey to West Sussex County Council Highways department back in April in a bid to demonstrate the severity of the problem.

County highways officers later inspected the area and identified Worthing Road northbound, nearby bus stop areas, the entrance to Fairbank Road and an area near Pipers Close for repairs.

The county council said then – four months ago – that it would inform the parish council of a date for works to be carried out. But a date has still not been set – although the county council says it now ‘hopes’ it will be ‘within the next three months.’

A county council spokesperson said this week: “We are aware of this issue and have identified the work needed to resolve it. We are currently arranging this permanent remedy: businesses and other local stakeholders will be informed of the date for this work when it is known.

“For the safety of both our contractor and the public, a full road closure will be required when the permanent work is taking place but pedestrian access will be maintained and shops and businesses will be able to open as usual.

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"We hope the work can be done within the next 12 weeks, subject to unforeseen factors, such as other works having to take priority, or severe weather at the time.

“Meanwhile, we will continue to keep the area safe with temporary measures, where required. We have also placed roadside signs at various locations to give highway users advance warning of the uneven surface.”