'˜Poor state of Midhurst roads could affect business'

Chichester district and town councillor Steve Morley has contacted both Chichester District Council parking officers and county highways officers to try to resolve the issue of yellow lines, loading bays and parking limits in North Street, in the centre of town.

He is also concerned about the reoccurrence of problems on Rumbolds Hill, where the sinking of the road surface has never been effectively tackled.

His concern is heightened by the fact it carries traffic on two busy A roads - the A286 and the A272 - through the town and diversions for road closures could be catastrophic.

He told fellow members of the finance and policy committee he would like a full debate at the next council meeting on Monday (February 20): “I really believe unless we bang on the desk of the county council’s highways officers they’re not going to take any notice.

“Rumbolds Hill is just getting so ridiculous. Recently a highways engineer wrote to me saying the road condition ‘currently appears to be an issue’, which is the understatement of the year.

“I think the road is going to be gobbled up by the gravel giants soon and no-one is addressing the problem.”

If the road had to be closed for major repairs, he said: “It does not even bear thinking about. Every traffic report on every radio station would be saying ‘avoid Midhurst’.”

Vice chairman of the town council John Quilter said: “The knock-on effect of these problems is a build-up of traffic because people are very cautious and with the potholes so big, you have to swerve and some people are even mounting the pavement. I am hearing more and more that Midhurst is becoming a nightmare to get through because of the traffic and a lot of that is because of the state of the roads.” He said it would not be long before the town began to suffer as a result.

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