Drivers were left fuming about the kerbing works on the A286 Main Road with some being stuck in traffic for nearly three hours.

And the road workers who set up a two-way lighting system there have decided to take it down themselves after many angry comments from the public.

Tony Hembling, of St James Close, Birdham, was stuck in his car for two hours and forty minutes during the congestion.

"This is beyond comprehension" he said.
"It would normally take me eight minutes to make the same journey.

"They are replacing the curbstones because when it rains water drains into people's front gardens at Church Lane, and I don't dispute that. But the timing of it has caused so much disruption.

"Some people have said to the workers that the lights better not be there when they return!"

Kenneth Wright lives at Church Lane in Birdham by where the traffic light system is. It took him an hour and a quarter to get from Chichester to his home.

"It's a perfect summer's day and you've got people going to West Wittering beach," he said.

"So what do the county council decide to do? They go and do this. What a day to do it on!"

The kerbing work began yesterday (July 23) and it is scheduled to finish tomorrow. Radio warnings were given out about gridlocks on the A27, which is believed to have stemmed from the traffic-light system in Birdham.

A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: "It has certainly been very busy today, as it always is, so it perhaps reinforces the need for the bypass improvements to the Chichester A27, which the county council has been pressing the Government for.

"We apologise for any delays but the particularly good weather meant that all roads in the Chichester area were very much busier than usual and this increased the delays that people experienced.

"However, the contractors were able to remove the traffic management on the A286 during the late morning, and it is hoped to complete the work tomorrow."



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