Flooding forced partial closure of A27 in Chichester for more than 20 hours

This came after the Met Office issued a yellow warning for rain on Thursday (December 18).

At 5.45am, National Highways reported that lane one (of two) on the A27 Chichester bypass was closed eastbound due to flooding between the B2145 and A259 Bognor Road.

"Overnight works to clear the flooding are still ongoing and will overrun their scheduled end time of 06:00,” an advisory notice on X read.

"Expect delays if these works continue into the morning peak.”

At 7am, additional machinery was en route to scene to ‘assist with clearing the water’. There was one mile of ‘congestion on approach’, National Highways reported.

Extra resources were on scene by 10.30am and ‘working to clear the flood water’. Motorists were advised to ‘allow extra journey time if in the area this morning’.

A further update at 1.20pm read: “Despite efforts by crews at scene the flood water remains due to the heavy rainfall in the area.

“Please continue to allow extra travel time if in the area.”

A spokesperson for the government agency told Sussex World on Friday: “I can confirm the water was pumped away last night, though we remained on the scene for a couple of hours beyond that to monitor for further flooding.

“A lane one closure remained overnight so pre-planned drainage works could be carried out.

“The lane closure was removed just after 2am this morning.”

An AA Traffic News first reported at 6am on Thursday that A27 Chichester Bypass was closed eastbound – from B2145 Hunston Road (Whyke roundabout) to A259 (Bognor Road roundabout).

A traffic notice added: “Works to clear the flooding were supposed to finish at 6am. Traffic is coping well.”

Sussex Traffic Watch reported ‘queuing traffic’ due to ‘carriageway flooding’.

There were ‘severe’ delays in the area for most of the day, according to traffic sources.

The road has since reopened but a Waze traffic map showed ‘bumper to bumper’ traffic at midday on Friday.