Ramblers have accused council bosses of ignoring public safety in a row over footpaths.

Lobby group the Open Spaces Society is furious that West Sussex County Council refuses to create a new footpath taking walkers away from the busy eight lane A23 near Bolney.

The county council argued that ramblers could easily walk along the A23 to a point around half a mile north where they could safely cross the road.

However the Open Spaces Society has now hit back at the council's decision by declaring that it is endangering lives by refusing to take action.

A council spokesman denied that the authority was ignoring public safety.

But Ted White, from the group, said: "West Sussex County Council does not care about public safety. It is a nonsense to suggest it is safe to walk alongside the A23 with the high volumes of fast moving traffic."

At the moment walkers enjoying a jaunt along the pretty footpath 16, south of Bolney, come face to face with the A23, which chopped the footpath in half when it was built.

The Open Spaces Society, and others, had hoped that the county council would link footpath 16 through Chaites Farm to another footpath further north, which rather than providing a way of crossing the road, would at least allow walkers a continuous journey on other paths.

However the council, which had already ruled out building a bridge over the A23 as too costly, ruled that it would not build the link footpath because it would intrude on the owners of Chaites Farm.

Mr White believes the link footpath could easily be diverted around the farm and still link with other paths to the north.

Mid Sussex District councillor Richard Bates said he believes a Continental-style underpass could be built under the A23 as a solution.

He said: "It would have been little expense to provide an underpass at the point in question, similar to ones I see on the Continent on local roads to ensure connecting communities and safety is not compromised.

"It is not unreasonable to alter ancient footpaths to reflect modern day requirements but not the extra mile suggested."

However West Sussex County Council has refused to budge on the idea of either linking the footpaths or providing a crossing over the A23.

County councillor Bill Acraman, Chairman of the Rights of Way Committee, has told The Argus that the footpath link through Chaites Farm would have "an adverse impact on the landowners security, privacy and does little or nothing to enhance the footpath network in the area".

Have you ever walked along footpath 16? Should a new path be created? Have your say below.