Three-year wait for changes to busy Comet Corner junction

ANY improvements to the Comet Corner junction in Middleton will be at least three years away.

The latest delay to work to make the busy site where Yapton Road meets the A259 safer was revealed by Middleton Parish Council’s chairman last night.

Cllr Paul Wotherspoon said: “Last year, I reported the parish council’s objective is to get road junction improvements at Comet Corner by 2013, albeit that was starting to look optimistic.

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“Further information now filtering through from West Sussex County Council highways indicates that no planning or offering of contracts for the junction improvement works will happen until the section 106 monies are released by the developers. So, commencement of work could now be pushed back to 2015 or beyond.”

The current demand for work to Comet Corner dates back to July 31, 2003, when an elderly driver was killed there.

But, in spite of pressure from residents and councillors, only minor works have taken place at the junction.

Cllr Wotherspoon said, however, the county council’s highway team had been helpful in day-to-day work such refreshing road lining and improving drainage in Middleton Road.

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It was also hoped to have a solution to the problems of Middleton Road’s north footpath.

Progress had also been made on a range of other matters. These included the opening of the Bilsham allotments in a joint project with Climping and Ford parish councils.

A £2,000 grant had also enabled the recently revived Unique youth project to be launched, and an all-weather surface was being installed around the outdoor gym pieces on Shrubbs Field.

The parish council also lobbied the Post Office to obtain the successful re-opening of the Elmer Beach Post Office.

Cllr Wotherspoon said as he was making his 12th chairman’s report to the annual electors’ meeting. He continued to be proud of the council’s work and careful budgeting.