A259: MP Tim Loughton slams Southern Water for roadworks

Southern Water came under fire for temporary traffic lights that are in place on the A259 Brighton Road in Lancing.

The water company is replacing a pipe and the roadworks are in place until Friday.

Motorists faced delays of at least 20 minutes and one person claimed the traffic stretched back to the Lidl supermarket two miles away in Shoreham during rush hour.

Tim Loughton said he was not warned about the roadworks

Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham Tim Loughton slammed the company online.

He said: “You're aware how sensitive works on this part of the A259 are having challenged you on unnecessary lane closures already which you wrongly put down to emergency work.

“Why was I not warned that constituents were about to be subjected to yet further chaos or combined with earlier?”

Motorists expressed their frustration at the temporary lights, with one stating they are “totally fed up with it”.

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Another person said: “Stop start yet again. The A259 Lancing to Shoreham. Southern Water making everyone’s lives just that little bit harder.”

A Southern Water spokesman said: “We’re sorry for the inconvenience and disruption caused as a result of a pipe being replaced on the A259.

“We are in close contact with West Sussex County Council, and although this work had been planned to run until late Friday, we hope to complete it ahead of schedule. 

“We are engaging with local residents, councillors, MPs and businesses to ensure they are updated moving forward.” 

The water company previously faced criticism after a spate of burst pipes in The Broadway area between October 2021 and October 2022.