Pulborough villagers in plea for action amid 'serious concern' over A29 road closure

The A29 in the village has been shut for nearly two months following a landslip onto the roadway. But the closure has led to traffic chaos, safety fears and a drop in trade for local shops and businesses.

Now local councillors, traders and village leaders have sent urgent letters to the heads of West Sussex County Council and Horsham District Council.

They say they are seriously concerned ‘over the very slow response’ from both councils in resolving the problem.

The letter, sent from Pulborough Parish Council on behalf of a number of organisations, states: “The road closure has resulted in there being serious safety risks, particularly to school children, in the village residential areas due to redirected traffic using unsuitable roads.

"In addition, local shops and businesses are suffering severe financial damage due to lack of access to the village's retail economy.”

The letter goes on: “The local community believes the current situation is an emergency because peoples' safety and the local economy are in grave danger. Both county and district councils need to inject urgency to resolve the situation.”

The letter is signed by leaders of Pulborough Parish Council, Pulborough Community Partnership, Pulborough Traders Association, Pulborough Village Hall, Pulborough Rector and St Mary’s primary school headteacher.

They call for the appointment of a single manager to take overall responsibility to resolve the problem and for West Sussex County Council to empower the manager to take all necessary decisions to urgently reopen the A29 ‘as an emergency operation.’

They are also calling for Horsham District Council to help mitigate the village’s loss of trade by providing emergency grants, business rate reductions and reduced car parking charges.

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The Pulborough Traders Association says that businesses in the village are facing losses from between 9.6 per cent to 80 per cent.

A meeting about the road closure is due to be held at Pulborough Village Hall in Lower Street on Monday (February 27), at 6pm.

Members of West Sussex County Council, Horsham District Council and Pulborough Parish Council plan to attend.